Family Ties
by Spense
Summary: This is a story I wrote over 12 years ago. I've had several requests for it, so here it is. SUMMARY: Jonny's view of family is shaken to the core after an unexpected meeting.


I have had several requests for this story. Apparently, the places it was archived no longer exist.

So, for those who have sent me notes requesting this story, here it is.

Spense

August 2014

DISCLAIMER: I do not have or own JQ, nor do I have any rights to  
them. I have no affiliation with Hanna-Barbera, Time Warner, or the  
Cartoon Network; I am writing this purely out of love and respect for  
JQ. This is written strictly by a fan, for the enjoyment of other  
fans, and I have received no payment or other compensation, so don't  
sue me! Meach owns Will Harkness and Rae, and I have used the  
character with her permission. Any other characters that may appear  
belong to me.

CATEGORY: Family, Alt  
RATING: PG

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is longer than I usually try to write for JQ  
stories (24 chapters), but it wouldn't end where I had planned it  
too. As I was writing this, I kept thinking about a play I once saw  
called `Six Characters in Search of an Author'. It was an apt  
thought as I wasn't at all sure that I was the one in control of this  
piece. Be that as it may, here is Family Ties. This is designed to  
fit in with Meach's time line and in her universe. The story does  
take a little while to really get rolling, so please bear with me.  
And as usual, thanks to the B.A.D. Babes, Helen and Meach, for all  
their help.  
Spense, January 2002

And the roller coaster slowly slides away from the platform . . .

FAMILY TIES

Chapter One

Jonny drove his bike forward up the hill as hard as he could.  
Irritation added power to every movement as he willed his body to  
work harder yet, sending his bike sailing up the grade of the two-  
lane highway towards the town of Rockport at an impressive clip.  
Jonny's plan was to cut straight through town, then loop back towards  
home. It was a long ride, and he usually did it once or twice a  
week. He hoped that today it would work its usual magic and he'd be  
too tired to be irritated by the time he got back to the compound.

He knew he'd be late getting home. That was a given. Not that  
anyone would probably notice anyway, he thought bitterly, pushing  
forward with even more intensity. With Rachel Elyse (Rae for short),  
Benton and Will's infant daughter, in the family now, he wasn't sure  
anyone would even perceive the fact that he was gone, much less  
late. Jonny couldn't decide whether that fact bothered him, or  
relieved him.

On the plus side, he wasn't getting into much trouble, and he did  
enjoy the extra freedom, but Jonny seriously doubted the lax  
attitude was intentional. More like just an oversight. He wondered  
how long it would last. Being late had always been rewarded with a  
scolding, or a grounding in extreme cases. But his Dad, and Race  
too, were both going in so many different directions right now, that  
sometimes they didn't seem to even notice what he was up too.  
However he did know that not leaving a note definitely warranted a  
grounding regardless of the circumstances, so he'd hedged his bets by  
leaving a note on the foyer table. He just didn't tell anybody about  
it.

On the other hand, if nobody noticed he was even gone, it meant that  
not a soul was paying the slightest bit of attention to him, and that  
was really annoying. But what else was new lately, Jonny groused to  
himself. His level of importance to his Dad seemed to have dropped  
like a stone.

The cause of all the disruption, his little sister Rachel Elyse, was  
actually kind of fun. He did have to admit that. But all anybody  
did anymore was pay attention to her. She certainly had become the  
queen-bee, and Jonny was honest enough with himself to admit he was  
jealous. But still! Like yesterday, for example, he and Jessie had  
talked all day at school about the new game Hadji was writing. But  
when they got home, suddenly she didn't have time. She was going to  
help Will with Rae. Will had smiled and asked him to help as well,  
but he had just declined and gone down to the lighthouse by himself.

The situation was bad enough on its own, but it had been aggravated  
by the fact that Will had had a hard time giving birth to Rae. She'd  
had an emergency C-Section and some other complications. She'd been  
restricted from using stairs, and had been sleeping in the vacant  
maid's quarters. That hadn't helped his father's temperament much.  
Jonny had found it best to just make himself scarce. It was easier  
than getting barked at all the time. He couldn't decide which was  
worse; getting yelled at or being ignored.

Additionally, Rae had also had some problems. She'd turned out to be  
allergic to all milk products. Lactose intolerant was what his  
father had called it. She had gotten pretty sick until it was  
figured out what the problem was.

Jonny pedaled harder as his frustration reached a crescendo once  
again. It had been a hectic two months and Jonny hadn't like it at  
all. On top of being the invisible person since his Dad had a new  
kid, they'd been stuck at home the whole time since Rae's birth in  
early March. They hadn't gotten to go anywhere, or do anything!  
Now, 7 weeks later, Rae was fine, Will was much better, and no longer  
restricted to the main floor. Jonny was relieved at that. His Dad  
had been pretty hard to live with.

Jonny just wanted things back to normal. Normal included Will now,  
he had finally concluded. He didn't mind her all that much. She  
knew all kinds of cool stuff, just like Race, being that she was also  
an I-1 agent. Besides, she made sure his dad didn't forget him. And  
Rae was all right, but everyone just made such a fuss over her.  
Jonny didn't think his father even remembered he was around anymore  
unless Will reminded him. Funny, it was Will who generally seemed to  
remember he was alive more than anyone else.

Jonny mulled that over, then dismissed the thought. He didn't know  
why, and he wasn't going to worry about it. He was just glad that  
she, at least, seemed to care. Even Hadji, usually his inseparable  
companion, was distracted by Rae, and his new family in Bangelore.  
Jonny didn't begrudge him that, he was just tired of being lonely in  
a big house with lots of people. How could you be lonely with that  
many people around? He didn't know, but somehow he managed it.

The really rotten thing about the whole situation was that there was  
no one real thing that he could put his finger on and say, `this is  
the problem'. Everything was the same, except, that it wasn't  
really. And the few times he had tried to verbalize what he was  
feeling, it came across as really petty and jealous. Then he got  
into trouble for that too. So, now he just stewed in silence. And  
then at other times, everybody acted completely normal, just like  
they used too. Jonny just didn't get it.

Completely frustrated, his mind whirling in circles, Jonny pushed his  
bike harder, resting the hill, and coasting down into Rockport in  
record time. Checking his watch briefly as the buildings flashed by,  
he realized he'd cut off his time by nearly five minutes. Not even  
stopping for a breather at the park as he usually did, Jonny used his  
momentum to help him gain a start up the hill for his return trip  
home.

Breathing deeply, he leaned forward into the grade and pumped  
strongly and steadily towards the top. The exercise was finally  
helping. His irritation was beginning to fade. But the small  
incidents were still fresh in his mind. There always seemed to be  
new ones taking the place of those fading off into memory. Like his  
dad breaking off mid-sentence while talking to him, and walking away  
at Will's call to help her with Rae; continuously breaking off to  
amuse the baby while Jonny was trying to carry on a conversation with  
him; or just the plain inattention. Jonny knew there was a lot going  
on, and that his father was split many different ways, with family  
and work, but he just felt invisible right now to the person who  
mattered most to him.

Except for his homework. That seemed to be the only time anyone  
noticed he was even breathing anymore. Like this last weekend. He  
was having a hard time with his math. Jessie, a grade ahead of him,  
finally gave up in frustration trying to help him.

Benton had looked in after Jessie had left in a huff, and noticed his  
son looking glum. He had taken the time to help Jonny to understand  
the theory. He made him do the problems himself, and Jonny had  
struggled all weekend with it, but Benton had made himself available  
for questions when Jonny needed it. Jonny had finally gotten through  
it. He still wasn't sure how he'd done on the test yesterday, but he  
thought he at least understood it now. Too bad Dad didn't have more  
time when it wasn't schoolwork, Jonny mused to himself. It was  
almost worth sabotaging his own grades, but not quite. That might  
get him more hot water than he had bargained for.

He finally reached the main gates to the house, and coasted to a  
stop. Sighing, he reached forward and punched in the access code to  
the pedestrian gate, and slowly rode forward through it as it  
opened. After making sure the gate was tightly closed behind him, he  
headed towards the house. It wouldn't do to let Zin or Surd have an  
easy opening, but it might liven things up somewhat.

Entering the house, Jonny could hear laughter from the family room.

"Look! She smiled at me!" Hadji was exclaiming.

"I love feeding her," Jessie was saying as Jonny approached. "She's  
so sweet."

His father replied with a laugh, "I'm enjoying it too. I never got  
involved in feeding Jonny as an infant much." Jonny scowled briefly,  
then relaxed his face to a more neutral statement. No sense in  
advertising the fact that he was frustrated. Well, lets be more  
realistic, jealous. Jonny sighed to himself. He really hated being  
that petty, and he really didn't mind Rae. It was his family's  
reactions, and especially his father's, that he didn't care for.  
But, no sense in getting in trouble anymore than he had to.

"Well," Race began to laugh in response to Benton's comment. "It was  
a bit different, from what I understand. Rae eats from a bottle!"  
He broke off as he saw Jonny entering the doorway. "Hey, the  
prodigal returns. Let's go eat." Race sat forward in his chair and  
rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"Honestly Race," Will exclaimed, "Your as bad as the kids." She  
turned towards Jonny. "We're going into town for Chinese food  
tonight. Mrs. Evans had to be gone unexpectedly. I saw your note,  
so we were just waiting for you."

Jonny perked up at that. He loved Chinese, and this seemed like one  
of the times everybody was acting like they used too. This might  
actually be fun.

Jessie laughed at his statement. "Bottomless pit."

Benton stood up, holding Rae on his shoulder, smiling at Jonny. "How  
was your ride?"

Jonny grinned, "Fine," then added, "I took five minutes off my time,  
even adding in time for a rest stop, which I didn't take."

"Wow!" Race exclaimed, surprised. "It was already pretty good.  
Which route did you take?"

As Jonny happily began to fill in the details, his earlier  
frustration magically erased in the glow of a little attention, Hadji  
interrupted plaintively, "Can we go? I am starved."

"Geez, you and Jonny never stop eating. Where on earth to you put  
it?" Jessie commented in disgust.

Will laughed. "Their feet. Have you noticed how big their shoes  
are?" She grinned at both boys, then continued, saying "Benton, can  
you watch Rae while I get a bag together for her? That'll give Jonny  
time to take a shower."

Benton nodded agreement, and Jonny headed for the stairs to get  
cleaned up, for what he was sure would be a fun evening.

And enjoyable it was. Jonny thought it was just like before Rae came  
on the scene. Lots of teasing and horseplay. Maybe things were back  
to normal now. He certainly hoped so.

Chapter Two

"Hey Dad!" Jonny yelled as he slammed the front door behind him with  
a loud bang. The noise brought Mrs. Evans out from the kitchen to see  
what the problem was. You never knew in this household. You never  
knew in this household.

"Jonny," she scolded, "you don't need to slam the door! And your  
father is in the family room. Yelling is not necessary," she  
finished sternly.

Jonny grinned at her, totally unperturbed by her tirade. "Sorry!" he  
answered, and headed, like a whirlwind, for the family room. His dad  
was going to be as pleased as he was with his news.

"Dad!" Jonny called once again as he blasted into the family room,  
waving the paper he held. Suddenly, he was stopped cold at the sight  
of his father sound asleep on the couch with Rae napping on his  
chest. Jonny was surprised, to say the least. It was only 3 in the  
afternoon. Benton was usually engrossed in something or other in his  
lab at this time of day, not sleeping.

Jonny registered the scene with some trepidation. He really wanted  
to show his dad the results of his math test. Benton had been so  
patient helping him, and he knew how Jonny had really been sweating  
about the outcome of this test.

Any other time Jonny would have woken him up, but now, with Rae, he  
wasn't so sure. His dad always seemed to be tired and cranky. He  
might not be too happy about it. Jonny sighed as he thought once  
again about how much had changed since Rae was born. He never would  
have hesitated previously to wake up his Dad, and had known he would  
always receive a warm reception. But now, well, he wasn't so sure.  
Last night had seemed normal enough, but who knew. Everything seemed  
to change by the day.

While Jonny turned this over in his head, trying to decide what to  
do, his father blinked groggily and looked at him. "Jonny?" he  
muttered as he shook his head to clear it, and gathered his wits  
about him. "What's the matter?"

Jonny paused uncertainly. "Um, nothing really, I guess." He  
hesitated. "I just wanted to show you . . ." He trailed off again  
as Benton frowned slightly and shifted his hold on the infant. Jonny  
wondered what he'd done wrong.

Seconds later he realized with dismay that his dad wasn't even  
thinking about him. Benton was looking at the baby, and muttering  
distractedly, "you need to be changed." Suddenly, he looked back at  
his son. "I'm sorry, Jonny. You were saying?" He remarked as he  
stood up and shifted Rae to his shoulder.

Jonny relaxed a little and started over. "Uh, I got an "A" on that  
honors math test. You know. The one . . ." Jonny stopped once  
again as he realized his Dad's attention wasn't on him at all, but  
was riveted on Will as she entered the room.

"Great Jonny," he said absently, with his eyes on his wife. "Will,  
Rae needs to be changed." He shifted his hold on his daughter as  
though to hand her to Will.

Will began to laugh as she moved further into the room. She squeezed  
Jonny's shoulder lightly in greeting as she passed him. "Oh no,  
Genius. She's all yours!" Will looked conspiratorially at Jonny as  
she walked behind her husband, placed both her hands on his shoulders  
and began to maneuver him out of the room.

"But," Benton began, argumentatively.

"No buts. You've had more practice than I have. And aren't you the  
one that claims I can't put on a diaper correctly?" She grinned at  
Jonny as she steered her grumbling husband toward the door.

Jonny stood uncertainly in the middle of the suddenly empty room,  
then slowly made his way out the door and up the stairs. When he  
reached his room door, he paused a moment, listening to the vague  
sound of laughter from the direction of the nursery. Jonny suddenly  
felt very alone. Dejectedly he pushed his own door open and walked  
in, shutting out the sounds behind him.

From his spot on the foot of the bed, in a warm patch of sun, Bandit  
looked up, yawned, and gave a brief wag of his tail in greeting.  
Jonny smiled and sat down next to him. Here was someone who was  
always glad to see him.

"Guess what, Bandit?" Jonny said as he patted his lap in invitation.

Bandit looked up inquiringly and bounded happily into Jonny's lap,  
needing no second command. Jonny laughed. "I got an `A+' on my  
honors math test. The one that I was so worried about! My teacher  
said," Jonny began to read directly from the paper, "'excellent job.  
Best work I've seen you do this year. Keep it up.' Great, huh?' He  
looked at Bandit who leaped up to lick his face in response.

Jonny smiled. "I'm glad you care. Nobody else seems to be all that  
interested. They sure are when I don't get decent grades though."  
Jonny sighed and dropped the test paper on the floor next to his bed,  
and concentrated on playing with his dog.

His attention was diverted by a tap on the door, and Benton poked his  
head in. "You wanted to tell me something, Son?"

Jonny's spirits lifted like magic. As he opened his mouth to speak,  
the phone rang, and Mrs. Evans called, "Dr. Quest! Telephone!"

Benton looked enquiringly at his son, but was obviously poised to get  
the phone.

Jonny just shook his head, defeated. "Nothing."

"Okay, then," Benton commented, his mind already on other things, and  
disappeared down the hall.

Jonny lay back on his bed and let Bandit stomp on his chest, and lick  
his face.

"Congratulations! Great job! Huh, Bandit?" Jonny signed dejectedly.

Chapter Three

After playing with his dog for awhile, Jonny decided that since it  
was still early afternoon, and everyone seemed occupied, he'd go for  
another bike ride. `Occupied'. That was one way to put it. Race  
and Hadji were out getting equipment for his father; Jessie had gone  
shopping after school with her friends. Rae was taking another nap,  
and Will and his dad were, well, they had gone into their suite and  
Jonny had heard the door lock. Now that Will's health restrictions  
were lifted, they appeared to be making up for lost time. So much  
for thinking things were back to normal. He sighed.

Jonny had skipped out on a pickup basketball game with his friends  
that afternoon in order to show his Dad his test. Now, wasn't that a  
real bust.

Slightly depressed, he swung by the kitchen to pick up a water bottle  
and he ran into Mrs. Evans again. He agreed to her request that he  
pick up some more milk for her when he went through Rockport.

He took the ride slower today, and enjoyed the spring weather, with  
Bandit loping happily alongside. He felt a little better. It was  
hard to stay down on a beautiful day like today. But why couldn't  
things just get back to normal. Jonny sighed as he coasted down into  
Rockport. His thoughts were beginning to sound like a broken  
record. It was getting ridiculous.

Waving at friends as he cruised through the town, he finally came to  
a gentle stop. He made quick work of getting the milk and was  
stashing it in his bike pack when he saw her.

She was tall, slimly built, like an athlete, and her hair was a  
shining blond. She was waiting to cross the street down from the  
park to his side of the road. Jonny couldn't help it. He just  
stared at her. She was probably mid to late thirties. Her facial  
features were like looking in a mirror. He shook his head slightly  
and looked again. It just couldn't be. She was his mother's  
portrait come to life.

"QUEST!" Jonny jumped at the loud exclamation originating from the  
vicinity of his right ear, and was suddenly shaken violently. He  
turned to look at the grinning face of his friend, Troy Mathews.  
Troy looked pleased at the reaction he'd elicited.

"Geez, guy! We're you on another planet?" Troy asked with a  
laugh. "I've been calling you for the last couple of minutes!" His  
grin faded. "Are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Jonny stared at him for a moment more, frozen, and then spun back to  
look at the intersection. She was gone. If she'd ever really been  
there at all. Jonny scanned the area quickly. Nothing. She'd  
vanished without a trace.

"Jonny?" He turned back to see Troy looking at him in concern. "You  
ok?"

Jonny took a deep breath. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay." He forced a  
smile onto his face. "I'm okay. I just thought I saw someone.  
What's up?"

"Nothin'. I just wanted to say hi. What's up with you?"

"Not much," Jonny grumbled, glad of someone safe to vent too. "Life  
sure is boring with a baby in the house," Jonny groused to his  
friend. "We don't get to go anywhere anymore."

Troy laughed again. "Well, sorry guy! Amazing that you just might  
have to stay home for longer than 3 weeks at a time. So one of your  
family's bodyguards had a baby. Be glad it's not a relative. Then  
you'd be really stuck."

Jonny grinned sheepishly at that. And he didn't enlighten his friend  
that Will's baby was indeed a sibling. I-1 had made it quite clear  
that this was a secret that HAD to be kept. And frankly, Troy did  
have a point. Most people didn't travel even close to the amount the  
Quest clan did. "Guess your right," he admitted reluctantly. "But  
it still is boring. Hey, I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow." With  
a final wave, he pedaled off with Bandit keeping pace next to him,  
and Troy's parting words floating behind him.

"Hey, Quest! Welcome to real life!"

Jonny did have to laugh. He was very aware that normal life to him  
was more than a little unusual compared to that of his friends.

Jonny played in Questworld that night with Hadji and Jess. But he  
just couldn't get the woman at the intersection off his mind. He  
debated telling anyone about it, but then decided that that would be  
a big mistake. They would just think he was nuts, and the adults  
would worry, thinking he was sick. Jonny sighed silently to himself,  
and lost another point to Jessie.

After Jonny had lost 3 rounds in a row, Jessie began cackling at  
him, "Beat ya, beat ya," she grinned evilly to him.

Jonny didn't even get mad as he put his light visor away. "Yeah, you  
sure did. Pretty off night," he finished.

"Yes, it was for you my friend, and that is putting it mildly," Hadji  
concurred as he stretched, then began to shut the system down.

"I'll get that," Jonny commented quickly. "Consider it my penalty  
for losing," he finished with a sickly attempt at a laugh.

"What's wrong with you?" Jessie asked quizzically.

"Nothing. I just thought I'd do you a favor."

"I do not mind," Hadji said emphatically. "We'll meet you up at the  
house."

`Thanks, Jonny," Jessie decided not to look a gift horse in the  
mouth. She still had homework to do. And with that, the two of them  
vanished out the door before he could change his mind.

Jonny quickly went about the work of shutting down the computer  
system. Then, in the darkening room, he turned his thoughts back to  
the events of the afternoon, and the woman he had seen at the  
intersection. Jonny turned the vision over and over in his head.  
The woman looked so astonishingly like his mother, but that was  
clearly impossible. He debated whether or not to tell his father;  
Dad might just think he was crazy. And frankly, what did it really  
matter? He had just seen someone that looked like Rachel. So what.  
So why was he so hung up on it? But there it was. He just couldn't  
let it go.

Finally Jonny gave up his reverie, and shut off the interior lights  
and headed for the outside door. He was astounded to find that it  
was full dark, and significantly later than he'd thought. A quick  
glance at his watch confirmed his worst fears. It was past 11  
o'clock. Dad was going to kill him.

He knew he was in trouble when he entered the front door to a stern  
looking Will. She was holding a very fussy Rae, and looked harried.  
Her eyes narrowed at him.

Uh-oh, was Jonny's first thought. She'd obviously been waiting for  
him. It was amazing how a woman barely five feet tall could be so  
intimidating.

Tapping her toe, she commented dryly, "Late?" as she rocked Rae,  
rubbing her back.

"Well, uh," Jonny said intelligently, fumbling for an excuse.

Will watched him carefully as he stumbled around for an explanation,  
and then sternly cut him off, "This is way too late for a school  
night. Jessie and Hadji were back well over an hour and a half ago,  
while you dallied around. Now I suggest you get your butt up to bed."

Jonny nodded in desperate obedience. As he turned to obey, he caught  
sight of his mother's portrait through the family room doorway. He  
froze for a second, as he seemed to see his mother smile, and feel  
her encourage him to talk to his father. He really was losing his  
mind. But just the same, he turned back to Will, who was still  
trying to calm the unhappy infant. She looked at him quizzically.

"Where's Dad?" he asked abruptly.

Will frowned slightly as the unexpected question, but answered easily  
enough. "He and Race are on a conference call to Washington."

Jonny nodded acknowledgement, then turned and headed for the stairs.  
I guess talking to Dad tonight is out of the question, he thought  
ruefully.

Will carefully watched him go, then as he was halfway up the steps,  
asked, "Are you all right?"

Jonny paused for a moment to look at her in surprise, then answered  
as he continued upward. "Fine," his voice drifted back.

Will watched in concern as he vanished into the upstairs nether-  
regions. Then turning to look at Rachel's portrait, she walked  
through the doorway, over to it. Looking up into the clear blue  
eyes, she asked softly, uneasily, "What's bothering him Rachel?  
Something's not quite right. And what did you tell him?"

Rachel, however, chose not to answer her.

Chapter Four

By the next morning, Jonny had completely dismissed the idea of  
talking to his dad. Frankly, it sounded so completely stupid now  
that he'd had a chance to sleep on it. All he saw, he realized, was  
a woman who looked similar to his mom. And in reality, at a closer  
look, he could almost bet she probably wouldn't look nearly as alike  
as she did from a distance. He decided to drop it. Besides, he was  
in a better mood today, anyway. Why create waves?

Later, as he was leaving the breakfast table to grab his books for  
school, Benton followed him out to the foyer and asked him quietly if  
there was anything he wanted to talk about. "Will said you were  
asking for me last night."

Jonny was bemused, but very pleased all the same. After all the  
times he had felt shunned, and all the times recently that his father  
had been stretched in so many directions that Jonny had come in last,  
at least this time his dad was making a point to make sure he was  
okay. "No," he smiled, "everything's fine."

Benton looked at him carefully. "Are you sure? Will said you came  
up really late from the lighthouse, and were obviously thinking hard  
about something." He waited for an answer.

`Nah. I'm fine, Dad." He grinned. "Unless you'll let me stay home  
from school," he added hopefully.

Benton laughed. "Not a chance." He gave his son a brief hug. "Just  
get up here and to bed at the normal time next time, ok?"

"No problem," he answered. He was just opening his mouth to add `I  
thought I saw Mom's identical twin yesterday' just to shock his Dad,  
and to see what kind of reaction he could elicit, when Race called  
from the front door.

"Hurry UP, Jonny! You're LATE!"

"Time to go, Dad, my ride's leaving." Without a further thought,  
Jonny ran through the front door to Race's waiting car, slamming the  
door behind him.

Benton laughed again, then headed back to the breakfast room, feeling  
more relaxed. He knew Jonny was having some problems adjusting, but  
everything seemed to be progressing fairly normally.  
"Is everything all right?" Will asked as she finished her  
breakfast. Benton leaned down and picked up Rae out of her baby  
swing, and resumed his seat. "Fine, apparently. Jonny said that  
there isn't anything the matter," he finished with clear relief.

"Are you sure? He really seemed to be in another world last night,"  
Will persisted.

"He's sure." Benton shrugged slightly. "And he seems perfectly  
cheerful." Benton put Rae up on his shoulder and rubbed the sleepy  
baby's back. "He seems to be adjusting fairly well."

Will nodded in agreement, relief evident in her statement. "Yes,  
just the normal small things, but nothing compared to when we first  
got married."

Benton laughed. "Or when you first got pregnant?"

Will rolled her eyes; remembering that rocky period with her  
stepson. "Oh yes, that. Well, keep an eye on him, but I agree. He  
appears to be adjusting pretty well, thank heavens." Noting the now  
sleeping baby, Will commented, "And what are your plans for this  
morning?"

With a twinkle in his eye, Benton responded, "Nothing. I am  
completely at your disposal."

"Oh, really." Will grinned. "Hummm, Jonny and Jessie at school,  
Hadji already down working in the lighthouse, Race running errands,  
Mrs. Evans shopping, and the little angel sleeping. Looks like it's  
just the two of us. Do you have something in mind?"

"Oh, I'm sure we can come up with something," Benton said with a  
deadpan statement, as she shifted Rae's position so he could lean  
forward and kiss his wife.

Jonny was mentally kicking himself for doing what he was doing, but  
here he was, on his bike for an unprecedented third day in a row,  
riding his regular route to Rockport. As much as he was trying to  
fool himself, he knew he was trying to see the blond woman again.

`Needle in a haystack', he thought ruefully to himself. He kept  
telling himself that he was imagining things, but here he was, like  
an idiot, cruising slowly through Rockport, once again. He kept the  
pace slow as he rode through the intersection where he had seen her  
the day before. He looked carefully both ways, then seeing nothing,  
laughed to himself, and began to head home. At least now he could  
put it to rest. He was just imagining things, plain and simple.

Or was he? Jonny coasted to a stop looking in disbelief at the  
window of a coffee shop. There she was, sitting at a table by the  
window, sipping coffee and reading the paper. Jonny studied her  
carefully, from his position across the street. She looked exactly  
like Rachel. The bright blond hair, the breezy cut, everything.

Jonny was frozen in place. What should he do? Oh well, he decided,  
in for a penny, out for a pound. He looked for traffic, waited until  
the coast was clear, then crossed the street to the diner, wanting to  
have a closer look. When he looked over again, he stopped in utter  
befuddlement. The blond woman was gone. Jonny began to think he was  
indeed loosing his mind.

That night, being Friday, the entire family stayed up later than  
usual, watching movies. Jonny's eyes kept straying to the portrait  
of his mother. He just couldn't forget the blond woman he had seen  
in town. She looked so much like Rachel. Jonny concentrated on the  
smile on the painted face. He remembered it so well, that, and the  
delicate sound of her laughter. He missed her so much.

After the movie, the kids headed for bed as instructed, amidst the  
usual bantering. Jonny lay awake thinking. He knew his dad usually  
checked on him before going to his own room, and he decided he wanted  
to try to talk to him then. But Jonny wasn't really sure what to  
say. `Guess what Dad, I saw Mom today'. That didn't seem to cut  
it. But still, he had to do something. The whole thing was  
beginning to get out of hand. He couldn't concentrate on anything.

Jonny tossed and turned, waiting for his dad to come upstairs. He  
felt like he was waiting forever. Finally, he looked at the clock.  
It was after midnight. Jonny sighed, and managed to get out of bed  
without disturbing Bandit. He really didn't want to wait until  
morning to talk to his father about this. It was just bugging him  
way too much.

Jonny opened his door and peeked out. The door to his Dad's and  
Will's suite was standing open, but no lights were on. The only  
light came from a very faint glow through the gap at the bottom of  
the upstairs library door. Jonny headed towards it, opened it and  
moved quietly out onto the loft ringing the second floor of the two-  
story room. There was a very dim glow radiating out from the  
fireplace, out of sight almost directly below him. Even without  
seeing the actual fireplace he could tell that the fire had nearly  
burned down to embers. He could hear low voices, then a sultry laugh.

"Dad?" Jonny called, somewhat uncertainly.

There was dead silence, then a faint rustling.

"Yes?" Benton answered. Jonny thought he sounded slightly  
breathless. He grinned in spite of himself. He still couldn't quite  
get used to the idea of his Dad and Will `doing it', but the fact  
that he'd walked in on them was pretty funny when you thought about  
it.

"Uh, Dad, can I talk to you?" Jonny responded. May as well ask. I  
don't have anything to lose, and the only thing he can do is say no.

"Can it wait until morning, son? It's very late," came the  
disembodied reply.

"I guess," Jonny sighed briefly, but was somewhat amused all the same.

"All right then. See you in the morning. Good night son," Benton  
replied.

"'Night, Dad." Jonny thought about saying goodnight to Will as well,  
but decided that would be too crass. He headed back to his room.

Down in front of the fireplace, Benton lay back on the pillows  
stacked on the floor with a relieved sigh. "That was close."

Will snickered from her position next to him, coming up from under  
the blanket she'd hastily spread over them. "Nice save, Einstein."

Benton gave a rueful chuckle. "A houseful of kids. You never know  
what's going to happen."

"Race does remind us to lock doors," Will pointed out. "And you  
really should go up and talk to Jonny now."

"Now?"

"Now, before he decides nothing is wrong again."

"Kids have the worst timing," Benton grumbled.

"Go."

"Ok . . ." Benton tapered off as he drew her towards him.

"Uhmm . . ." was Will's response until all thought of anything but  
Benton exited her mind.

Chapter Five

Getting up the next morning, Jonny thought about what he wanted to  
do. He knew Jess and Hadji both had plans for the morning, so he was  
on his own. Hating himself, he decided he'd go out on his bike  
again. Sighing, he knew he didn't want to admit even to himself that  
he wanted to find the Rachel look-a-like. But he did want to talk to  
Dad about it first. Maybe he could help him let go of this. Dad  
first, bike ride second.

Heading for the dinning room, bike gear in hand, he literally ran  
into his father and Race coming out.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed as he stopped short of hitting them square on.  
Jonny thought his Dad looked distracted. He and Race had been deep  
in conversation before he had nearly caused a collision.

Both adults smiled briefly at the blond teenager. "Oh, Jonny. There  
you are," his father said. "Going for a bike ride? Good.  
Something's come up, and Race and I need to call Washington again.  
Can we talk when you get back? Ok?" He squeezed Jonny's shoulder  
and gave him another smile, then briskly moved off towards his study,  
Race meeting him step for step, without giving Jonny a chance to say  
a thing.

Jonny watched them go in bewilderment. `Adults'. He'd never  
understand them. Now his dad was pawning him off again. One minute  
you're fine, the next you're invisible. Shaking his head in  
disappointment and disbelief, he headed out to get his bike yet again.

Jonny was very disappointed in the fruits of his tour through  
Rockport. There was no sign of the blond woman as he meandered  
through the town. He finally did his best to dismiss the whole thing  
from his thoughts, and headed for home. Oh well, now he didn't need  
to take up his dad's time. All of this was just bogus.

He chewed on it some more as he headed up the highway. It was all  
just a figment of his imagination, anyway.

Or maybe not! Jonny stopped his bike so hard it skidded in the loose  
gravel of the shoulder on the two-lane highway. He was relatively  
close to the compound gates along the bluff road, just a few miles  
down, and in front of him, on the shoulder of the road, was the blond  
woman he'd been looking for. She really did look like Rachel. He  
watched with his jaw on his chest. She beckoned furtively to him,  
called his name (called his name!), then looked around quickly to see  
if anyone else had seen, and disappeared behind a clump of rocks.  
Not another soul was in sight. Hesitating a moment, then feeling  
like he was heading through the looking glass, he followed.

He rounded the small clump of rocks, and just stared in disbelief at  
the woman a few feet in front of him. The slim blond woman smiled  
tearfully at him, and said quietly, "Hi, Honey."

"Mom?" Jonny whispered in complete disbelief. It just couldn't be.

The woman nodded, a smile on her face, tears in her eyes. She put  
her hand lightly to her lips. "I've waited so long to see you," she  
said with quiet intensity, longing evident in her every move and tone.

"Mom!" Jonny emerged from his trance, dropped his bike and sprinted  
over to her, flinging himself into her arms. It couldn't be, but  
somehow, it was.

She laughed delightedly, "Oh, Jonny! I'm so glad to see you. I've  
missed you so much."

Jonny clung tightly to her, almost afraid to let go. If he did, she  
might disappear, and he'd realize he really was dreaming.

"Mom, what . . .? How are you? I thought . . .But you're dead!"  
Jonny's words ran into each other as he stumbled over himself trying  
to express his thoughts.

Rachel gave another delighted ripple of laughter and hugged him once  
again. "Pick up your bike, Jonny, and lets sit down. I'll answer  
all your questions, and you can answer mine."

Jonny quickly grabbed his bike and laid it against the rocks of the  
outcropping, then moved to sit next to her as she settled into the  
grass.

"Tell me about yourself, Honey," Rachel commanded with a smile.

"But Mom! I mean, you're alive. How?" Jonny began again. "I was  
thinking I was nuts! I mean, I saw you in town. You were in town,  
weren't you?" He added uncertainly, his whole idea of reality turned  
inside out in a blink of an eye.

"Jonny," his mom interrupted with another smile. "I've waited so  
long to talk to you. Indulge me? But briefly, I'll tell you that  
I've been in a coma for a little over 6 years, caused by the  
assassination attempt. I'll answer all your questions, I promise,  
but please, I just want to know about `you', my baby. I've missed  
you so. And I've missed so much of your life. I just need to get to  
know you again. You've grown so much," she finished wistfully. "You  
were so young the last time I saw you."

At the tone of longing in her voice, Jonny nodded slowly.  
Reluctantly, he put his own questions aside for the moment. "Okay,  
what do you want to know?"

"Well, who do you live with? Your father, obviously. I know your  
living in his family's ancestral home. And I know you and Benton  
ended up with a body guard." She grinned impishly. "Isn't it  
amazing what you can learn off the TV and newspapers? Is the  
bodyguard an I-1 agent?"

Jonny grinned. "Yeah, Race Bannon. He's great, Mom. You'd really  
like him. He was way better than some of the others." Jonny's face  
clouded. "It was really bad after you died. I mean . . ."

Rachel reached out and touched his cheek lightly. "I'm sorry,  
honey. I wish I could take away the pain." They were both silent  
for a moment until Rachel broke the mood. "I've heard of Race. I  
met him briefly at I-1. He seemed to be a good man."

Jonny nodded enthusiastically, perking up. "His daughter Jessie  
lives with us now, too. And Hadji. Did you know I got a dog?"

Rachel laughed out loud. It was a delightful sound. "So your father  
finally gave in?" Jonny just grinned in response. "Tell me about  
Hadji and Jessie and the dog. I want to catch up on your life. I've  
missed so much of it."

Jonny beamed at her, and obliged. He spent quite a lot of time  
drawing the picture of his life for her, and a thumbnail sketch of  
some of the trips he taken. She was a wonderful listener, and asked  
all the right questions.

"And you're father?" Rachel finally asked quietly, as Jonny was  
clearly winding down, touching on the one huge glaring omission in  
Jonny's narrative.

Jonny looked troubled. "Mom, he remarried," Jonny finally said  
reluctantly, then suddenly looked blank. "But how could he? You're  
alive!"

Rachel closed her eyes in remembered pain. "He filed for legal  
separation several years ago, and finished the divorce just after I  
woke up, not quite two years ago. And yes, I was aware that he'd  
remarried. I still have a few mutual friends in I-1 who let me know  
clandestinely."

Jonny looked absolutely stunned. "How could he?" he repeated.

"Oh, Jonny," Rachel smiled sadly, "He's a man in his prime. A  
comatose wife is a liability."

Jonny looked mutinous, and began to say something, but Rachel shook  
her head. "Jonny, I was a liability. His enemies would have had a  
perfect hostage. Unable to protest or escape. It was better this  
way."

"But how could he have remarried?" Jonny demanded, stubbornly.

"A man has needs, Jonny. And your father is human."

Jonny winced slightly, thinking of the scene he'd unwittingly  
interrupted in the library. "But Mom, Dad never even told me you  
were alive. Why didn't he?" Jonny asked, betrayal evident in his  
tone and every statement.

"No, Jonny," Rachel said quietly, as she seemed to read his  
mind. "Don't hate your father. Never hate your father. He is a  
good man, and he loves you. But he is human and certainly not  
perfect. Neither am I. He had his reasons, and they involved  
protecting you." Rachel reached out and traced Jonny's  
cheekbone. "I'd forgotten how much you and I looked alike. The  
resemblance has just gotten stronger as you've grown up," she said  
softly.

Jonny looked at her in dismay. "You don't sound very happy, Mom," he  
said hesitantly.

A swift smile lit her face again. "I am now that I'm seeing you."  
She hugged him tightly. "My son! I've missed you so much." She  
gave him a last squeeze, then released him.

Jonny opened his mouth to ask another question when suddenly a  
holographic image appeared over his wrist.

Rachel looked astounded as Jonny looked at his watch and exclaimed in  
surprise. "Oh man, I'm really late. We've been talking for over two  
hours!" He looked completely bewildered. "Can it have been that  
long?" Rachel just laughed.

"They've activated the tracker," he continued. "Dad's going to kill  
me!" He jumped to his feet, then stopped suddenly and beamed at his  
mother. "Or maybe not!" He laughed in delight as he looked at  
her. "And you can meet Hadji and Jessie and Bandit!"

Rachel stayed seated and shook her head with a sad smile. "No,  
honey. Benton told me clearly to stay away from you."

Jonny looked stunned.

"Oh yes, Jonny. He knows all about me. And if you tell him that  
you've seen me, or anybody for that matter, he'll separate us  
forever. Be very sure of that. He has full custody of you, and has  
made it perfectly clear that I have no rights."

"But, Mom . . ." Jonny began uncertainly, completely appalled.

"Do `you' want to see me again?" Rachel asked quickly, hearing a car  
approach.

"YES!" Jonny said firmly.

"Okay, meet me here in two days at, oh, 2pm. Can you do that? And  
don't tell anyone! I promise, I'll fill you in on everything then,  
ok? But it's imperative that you don't say a word to anybody." She  
was insistent as she slowly stood up, brushing bits of debris from  
her jeans

Jonny nodded in bewilderment, as the car drew closer and stopped. A  
door slammed.

"Jonny?" Race's voice called.

Jonny looked quickly back at Rachel, who put her finger to her lips  
as she moved silently into hiding around another clump of rocks.

"Jonny!" Race called, more insistently this time.

"Yeah, Race," Jonny called back, with one more backwards glance at  
the spot where his mother had been.

"You okay Kiddo?" Race asked in concern as he came up the slight  
incline and around the clump of rocks to the clearing at the head of  
the cliffs.

"Um-hm," Jonny responded absently as he retrieved his bike.

Race looked at him oddly. "You're really late. What happened?"

Jonny gave him a quick, disarming smile. "Nothing. I just lost  
track of time."

Race looked carefully at him again, then let it drop. "Ok then.  
Lets get home. Your father is pretty worried. He was looking for  
you."

Jonny nodded and headed to put his bike on the bike rack at the back  
of the Quest SUV Race had driven. He noticed Race sliding into the  
drivers seat and talking on a cell phone. Probably Dad or Will.  
Will! Jonny thought in sudden amazement, he wondered if she knew  
Rachel was still alive. Jonny slid into the passenger seat, thinking  
hard.

Halfway home, Race broke Jonny's preoccupied silence. "Are you sure  
you're ok Jonny? Nothing happened? What about school?" He probed,  
concerned.

Jonny shook his head. "Nope, everything's fine," he commented  
absently, still deep in thought.

Race continued looking at him carefully.

"Really!" Jonny exclaimed impatiently.

Race relaxed and laughed. "Okay, okay. I'll back off."

Jonny grinned.

When they arrived at the house, Race let Jonny off at the front door,  
then headed around to the garage to put the SUV around. Jonny headed  
upstairs at a quick clip to grab a shower before dinner. He found  
everybody running around in various stages of formal dress. As Jonny  
looked uncomprehendingly at the scene, Benton appeared at the door of  
his suite, holding Rae, and looking distracted. As the significance  
of Rae's name hit Jonny anew, Benton caught sight of his younger son.

"There you are," he exclaimed in mild annoyance. "Where have you  
been? We've been looking all over for you. We were getting  
concerned." Benton checked his watch. "Go get dressed. Now!"

Jonny looked in puzzlement at his father, his mind returning to the  
present. Did he have to get dressed up to talk to his dad? Since  
when? And frankly, now, he didn't really need to talk to him. He  
knew all about the blond woman, he laughed to himself.

Will appeared at the doorway, looking attractive in a formal gown of  
burnt rust silk shot with gold, and took Rae from Benton. "Honestly,  
Jonny!" She laughed. "The awards dinner? We've been talking about  
it for a week!"

Benton just looked at his son in exasperation, and Jonny realized  
with a stab, that his father had completely forgotten about his  
promise to save some time for him today. "Go take a shower and put  
on your tux," he directed his son. He looked as though he would have  
continued, but Rae clutched at his arm, leaning over from Will.  
Distracted, Benton turned from Jonny and grinned disarmingly at his  
baby daughter. Will laughed at the scene, as Rae completely  
captivated her father's attention and gurgled in delight.

Forgotten momentarily, Jonny watched the scene, and felt his stomach  
twist at the memory of his mother's said little smile. Remembering  
his promise to her, Jonny dove into his room to remove himself from  
the sight of the tight little trio down the hall, all the while  
remembering clearly another threesome from the past. He really  
didn't want to think of the ramifications of what he had learned  
today right now. That would have to be saved for later.

Chapter Six

Jonny pulled his bike around the rocky outcropping in a repeat of his  
actions two days ago. Over the last two days he had nearly convinced  
himself that the whole thing might just have been a dream. But as he  
looked around the clearing, there was Rachel, with a huge smile on  
her face.

"Mom!" Jonny shouted and ran over to hug her. She staggered and  
laughed. "I thought maybe you were just a dream!" he exclaimed.

"Oh no, I'm very real." She laughed again, a delightful sound to  
Jonny. It sounded light, like a waterfall. Her face turned  
wondering as she touched his cheek lightly. "I can't believe this.  
I've waited so long." The quicksilver smile was back again. "Come  
sit down, I have something for you."

She stepped aside to reveal a picnic basket. "Are you hungry?"

Jonny just grinned an acknowledgement.

Rachel laughed again. "Let me guess. You came straight here after  
school, without stopping for a snack."

"Yep," Jonny acknowledged with a laugh.

"Then dig in!" Rachel began unloading the basket. Jonny as  
astounded. It was filled with his favorites. Pizza with everything,  
fruit, chips, and sodas.

"Cool! Chips! Dad never lets me have them, or pizza with  
everything. He's says they aren't good for me."

Rachel shook her head. "Same as ever. He never changes." She  
helped herself to a slice of pizza. "Did you have any trouble with  
Agent Bannon the last time?"

"Nah. He was distracted. Dad had an awards dinner. They didn't  
care as long as I was ready on time. Dad was kind of mad at first,  
but he got over it. I'm kind of invisible to him anyway right now."

Jonny missed Rachel's look of dismay at that comment as he devoured  
several slices of the extra large pizza. Rachel nibbled at an apple  
and watched him contentedly. "So Mom, what exactly happened?" Jonny  
asked through a mouthful of pizza.

"Jonny," she said, shaking her head at his terrible table manners.

"Sorry," he mumbled and grinned as he took the napkin she held out.  
He used it, then continued, "I mean, I've been told you were dead.  
Dad mourned you for years. Now it turns out you were in a coma. How  
bad were you hurt?" he finished in concern.

"Well, things aren't always what they seem. In fact, most of the  
time, they aren't," Rachel commented reflectively. "I suffered a  
head injury in the assassination attempt. I was comatose for very  
nearly six years. It seems like just yesterday to me, but the rest  
of the world has gone on living. I feel a bit like Rip Van Winkle."  
She reached over and touched Jonny's hair lightly, and sighed deeply  
over the lost years.

"You were so young," she smiled slightly, remembering. "I began to  
finally come around about 2 years ago. It took me a few months to  
come completely around, then over a year of physical and occupational  
therapy to be able to function fully. I literally had to learn to  
walk, speak and write all over again."

"But why didn't you get hold of Dad when you finally could? I mean,  
didn't you wonder why he wasn't there?" Jonny demanded. "Even if he  
did have to legally separate from you to protect you, he would have  
been there. And why didn't you get hold of me?" Jonny finished  
quietly, suddenly looking terribly vulnerable.

Rachel studied her son sadly, then chose her words  
carefully. "Honey, I hate to tell you, but I did. I talked several  
times to Benton. And he knew everything that was happening. Who do  
you think paid for my care?"

Jonny put down his pizza, his appetite suddenly gone. "No, you  
couldn't have. Dad would have been right there to help you. He  
would have told me! He loves you!"

Rachel quickly moved to her son and put an arm soothingly over his  
shoulders. "I'm sorry Jonny, but sometimes things are different than  
they appear. I did talk to Benton. He even came to see me. I know  
you travel with him, but there were a few trips he left you home.  
Those were the trips he came to see me."

Rachel squeezed Jonny's shoulder, hoping to ease the stricken look on  
the boy's face. "I really hate to tell you this. We'll just leave  
it at that, huh?"

"No!" The word was explosive. Jonny's face was hard. "I want to  
know ALL of it!"

"Are you sure? I don't want this to mar your relationship with your  
father. He's a good man."

"Yes. Tell me," Jonny demanded.

"Ok." Rachel was silent a moment. "He told me he no longer loved  
me. That he'd built a new life. A stable and successful life. He  
would help me as much as I needed. He felt responsible that I had  
been injured. He would pay my medical bills and maintenance until I  
was up on my feet."

Jonny looked stricken. "But Mom . . . He loves you. He mourned you  
for years. He's never said a word about it. And he's talked about  
you to me lots."

"Jonny, the love between a man and a woman can change. It can grow  
stronger, or it can die. People grow and move on. There are facets  
to a relationship that only the couple can know. And Benton is a  
very complex man. There are sides to him that you've never seen.  
Each of us has our secrets, and the older you get, the more you  
have. And Benton has many."

Jonny looked rebellious. "Fine," he snapped, "But what about me? He  
could have told me. YOU could have told me."

"No honey, I couldn't. Benton made that very, very clear to me. He  
wanted you and he had full custody per the divorce papers. Remember  
the divorce was final just after I woke up, and I was in no position  
to care for you in any way. Anyway, Benton told me that if I made an  
attempt to contact you, then any money, support, everything, were  
gone. I couldn't take that change at that moment. So I bided my  
time and waited until I was healed enough to manage without his  
help. Then I came looking for you, and found you!" She smiled in  
delight as she hugged him again. "And here you are."

"But why would Dad want to keep us apart? I don't understand," Jonny  
asked, absently beginning to eat the chips.

"Well," Rachel began slowly, carefully. "You know what a  
perfectionist your father is?"

Jonny rolled his eyes theatrically in agreement.

Rachel laughed, then sobered. "He was not interested in an imperfect  
wife. My use as a scientist was gone. Who would believe my  
findings? I was in a coma for 6 years."

Jonny was aghast. "You were brain damaged?"

"No, no," Rachel clarified. "Well, yes, in the sense that the head  
injury put me in a coma. But no, there is no lasting damage, but how  
do you explain that when you present scientific findings? No, my  
career as a cutting edge scientist was over. And that is a side of  
Benton that is not very attractive-he is only interested in the  
perfect. It's the scientist in him I guess. Anyway, he had a  
perfect, blond, blue-eyed, all-American boy for a son, whose  
intellect was showing great promise. He didn't want me ruining his  
ideal little world."

Jonny protested. "But Dad's not like that!"

"I'm not saying he's bad, or evil, or awful, or anything else,  
Jonny. These are just facts. He's a good man, truly. But he's not  
perfect and he has his flaws; this is just one of them. None of it  
changes the fact that he loves you."

"But it changed for you," Jonny commented slowly, thinking hard. "He  
doesn't love you anymore."

"That is different. I was his wife. You are a part of him."

Jonny thought about the last few months, and doubted very much that  
it was different, but before he could comment, his watch beeped,  
interrupting their intense conversation. He jumped, and swore at it.

"Jonathan!" Rachel protested, distressed at his language.

"Sorry, Mom. That's the alarm. I have to go, or I'll be missed.  
But I have so much more to ask you!"

Rachel smiled happily. "Do you really want to keep seeing me,  
knowing your father won't like it if he finds out?"

"Dad has other things on his mind than me," he state with sudden  
bitterness.

Rachel frowned slightly in concern. "Hummm, that's the second  
time . . . I want to know . . ." she broke off her thought. "But  
that will have to wait until later," she mused, half to  
herself. "Here," she said, reaching into the picnic basket. She  
produced a small pager. "This is a voice message pager. Speak into  
it and I'll get a text message of exactly what you say."

"Cool," Jonny exclaimed in delight.

"Keep it close by you, but hidden. DO NOT let your father get hold  
of it, or Mr. Bannon." She shuddered delicately.

"Ok," Jonny agreed. "When can I see you?"

"How about tomorrow, right after school. Will that work?"

Jonny thought about it. "Well, Race usually picks me up," he  
commented slowly, "But if I tell him I'm going to run after school,  
and will run home, he won't think anything about it. I do that a lot  
when I'm training. As long as I'm home by the normal time."

"We can do that. I'll pick you up a few blocks away from the  
school. Rockport High, right?"

Jonny nodded. "Right. How about by the highway intersection?"

"Perfect, nobody would notice. I'll be driving a late model white 4-  
door Honda Accord. It's pretty generic."

"Great, but we can't do this every afternoon. Race would get  
suspicious, to say nothing of Dad."

"That's why I gave you the pager. We can set up meetings anytime."

Jonny laughed, hugged his mother, and headed home.

Chapter Seven

Jonny felt as though he were living in a dimension apart from  
normal. Almost as though he were a disembodied spirit watching his  
family without participating. The only thing reminding him that this  
was reality was the small pager weighing down his pocket.

Dinner was surreal. He felt as though he were miles away, watching  
through glass. Thankfully, nobody seemed to notice. Benton and Race  
had spent the afternoon tangling with the government regarding the  
application of one of Benton's newest discoveries. Will was busy  
with Rae, as usual, and Jessie appeared to have decided that playing  
dolls with a living baby was the most fun thing she could possibly  
do. Hadji, usually more tuned into Jonny, had spent the afternoon on  
the phone with his newly discovered mother and was full of news from  
Bangelore.

For once, Jonny wasn't sorry when his father sent him to his room to  
do homework. Jessie was going to help Will with Rae, then was  
instructed to do her homework as well. This meant he didn't even  
have to think of a legitimate excuse to get off by himself tonight.

Jonny half-heartedly concentrated on his schoolwork, staring at the  
laptop screen on his desk. The tiny pager felt heavy in his pocket,  
far out of proportion to its actual weight. He found it hard to  
believe what his mother had said about his dad. It seemed so  
opposite from everything that he knew about him.

Benton had always stressed honesty to him. Above absolutely  
everything else. He'd harped on it to the point of making Jonny  
sick! Then there was the fact that his Dad and Race had always told  
him that he could tell them anything. But his father lied to him  
about his mother? And hidden the fact that she was alive from him?  
It seemed impossible to believe . . . Yet he had seen her, in the  
flesh, and had the pager in his pocket to prove it. It was a  
tangible link. She was `real'. Therefore, it followed that she was  
telling the truth.

His Dad had said to always approach every problem with logic. Well,  
logic said this time, his mother was right, and his father was lying  
to him. And Benton `had' gone on some trips without him during that  
time period in question. Jonny remembered clearly, because he had  
whined and cajoled to no avail. All Benton had stated was school  
reasons. But Jonny had gone on trips before, even with lousy grades.

Jonny rolled this over and over in his head. `Honesty', with a  
capital `H' was always being stressed. But he had physical proof  
that his father was lying. It all came back to that. Logic dictated  
one answer, and one alone. His father had been lying to him for  
years.

"Hey, Hotshot!" Jonny whirled around in his chair, startled, to see  
Jessie was standing in the doorway, looking annoyed.

"Don't you ever knock?" He grumbled sullenly. Jonny had too much on  
his mind to want to be interrupted.

"I did knock. Which you ignored. After I sent three e-mails. Which  
you also ignored."

"Whatever," Jonny mumbled, turning back to his screen.

"What is `wrong' with you?" Jessie demanded. "All I wanted to know  
is if you wanted to take a break and play Hadji's new game! Well?"

"No," Jonny retorted rudely, beginning to work on his essay.

"FINE!" Jessie yelled, affronted. "I don't know why I bother with  
you anyway." She stalked out, slamming his door loudly as she went,  
sparking a reaction from the adults downstairs.

Jonny could hear Jessie's voice in response and sighed. Tattling  
again. Pretty soon his father or Will or Race would be up to `talk'  
to him. Make sure he was all right, lecture him about manners.  
About being polite. About being `good'. Same old, same old.

They were fine to talk. Now he knew that at least his father was  
lying about something important.

Jonny half-heartedly finished his homework. Still no one came.  
Jonny wasn't sure whether that was good or bad. Good, because he got  
out of a scolding, or bad, because he wasn't important enough to  
worry about. Jonny had been wondering about that since Will, and now  
Rae, had entered the household. He'd been getting a feeling like his  
place with his father had changed somehow, and he wasn't sure it was  
to the good. He decided to hold that thought. He had enough on his  
mind without adding that to the mix!

Jonny took himself to bed at his usual bedtime, still thinking hard  
about his mother. Lying awake, events still chased one another in  
his mind, and he sure hadn't reached any conclusions.

He didn't realize it had gotten so late until he heard his father's  
footsteps on the stairs, and the soft murmur of his voice. Jonny  
wondered about that as he'd heard Will go to bed earlier. She still  
tired easily, even though she was pretty much recovered from Rae's  
birth.

Jonny hastened to snuggle under the covers, out of sight from the  
door, knowing that Benton would check on him. But to his surprise,  
the footsteps went past, and Jonny realized that his father was  
talking softly to Rae. He could hear the baby gurgle in return. He  
heard the door to the nursery open, then close again a few moments  
later. Jonny quickly feigned sleep again, only to open his eyes in  
shock as the door to his father's suite close, a sound filled with  
finality. Jonny was stunned. His dad always looked in on him. But  
as time pressed forward, and Benton did not put in an appearance, it  
became obvious that he wouldn't be tonight.

Jonny felt discouragement press in on him. Everything was changing.  
He wondered if anybody was really what he or she seemed at all any  
more.

This depressing thought was interrupted by the soft chirp of the  
pager under his pillow. Interested, he pulled it out and looked at  
the display.

Goodnight honey. I love you. Mom

Jonny smiled happily at the tiny glowing screen and said quietly, "I  
love you too, Mom." He was gratified to see the message appear in  
letters on the screen. He pressed the send button. After a moment,  
another soft chirp, and another message appeared.

XOXOXO

Jonny grinned and felt better beyond belief as he replaced the pager  
under his pillow. He had his mom back! Who would ever believe him?

Chapter Eight

Jonny had just had another conversation with his mother regarding his  
father's drive for perfection. The whole thought gnawed at Jonny as  
he ambled up the long driveway towards the house. His mother had  
dropped him off, just out of sensor range. Running was the excuse  
again today. They had been meeting together regularly, but  
carefully. Neither wanted to raise any type of suspicion.

He knew she was right. That perfectionism was what made his father  
the excellent scientist he was. She was also very interested in  
hearing more about Jessie and Hadji, and had made a comment that they  
had minds much like Benton's. Jonny was uncomfortably reminded yet  
again how much unlike them he was. There had been any number of  
jokes about Jessie and Jonny being switched at birth, and when he'd  
told Rachel about them, she'd just laughed, commenting that  
personality-wise, it certainly sounded possible, but she knew better.

Jonny didn't tell his mother, but as she had made several comments  
about how bright he was as a child, and how proud his father had been  
of his intelligence, Jonny just couldn't get past the fact that he  
was disappointing his father in the scholarly aspect of his life.  
Jonny had always felt a bit uncomfortable about that, but had not  
ever doubted his father until now. Now, though, he was seeing a side  
of his father he hadn't known existed; the absolute necessity to  
surround himself with the beautiful and the perfect. Jonny was  
becoming really afraid that he didn't fit that mold. Especially now  
that Will had presented Benton with a daughter who appeared to look  
just like him. Hair color and all.

Even the house seemed to support her suppositions. The mansion was,  
well, incredible. The furniture was antique, and had been in the  
Quest family for generations. Jonny hadn't ever realized before how  
museum-like it really was. Even Rae's cradle was a family heirloom.  
Jonny really wondered how well he fit in. Like Race, he didn't  
really notice or care particularly about whether a piece of furniture  
was new, old or antique. It was just something to use.

Then there was his resemblance to his mother. Jonny had always been  
pleased that he took after his mother in looks. Benton had made  
several comments about that over the years. But now, knowing how his  
father had REALLY treated his mother, Jonny wasn't all that sure that  
this was a good thing. Jonny was troubled. His life was turned  
upside down. Everything he had always believed to be true turned out  
to be slanted sideways somehow, and wasn't what he had thought it to  
be. He really didn't know what to think.

"Jonny?" His father called to him as he entered the front door.

Jonny quickly checked the clock. Nope, he was on time. "Yeah, Dad?"  
he responded with as much nonchalance as he could manage.

"Come here, please."

Jonny's heart sank at his father's tone of voice. What had he done  
now? Well, plenty actually. But he didn't think this father knew  
about any of it.

Jonny entered the family room. Will was curled up on the couch  
reading a book, Rae asleep on a quilt on the floor next to her.  
Benton was reading a piece of mail from the pile he had been looking  
through, the remainder of which was spread out on the coffee table in  
front of him, and was looking definitely irritated.

"Yeah, Dad?" He asked.

"I'd like to know what the story is behind this." Benton looked  
sternly at his son, holding up a letter with the Rockport High School  
logo on it.

Will put down her book and got up to leave. "I'll leave you two  
alone to discuss this privately," she said calmly.

Benton looked at her in surprise, "No, Will. Stay please."

"Benton, this is between you and Jonny." Will said firmly as she  
hesitated on the edge of the couch.

`No. You've had to supervise Jonny's homework as much as Race and I  
have. I'd like you to hear this as well."

Will smiled apologetically in Jonny's direction and resumed her seat.

Jonny remained standing in the middle of the floor, still wearing his  
running clothes, feeling very much like he was on trial. If this was  
about school, he agreed with Will, it wasn't her business. She  
wasn't his mom. He felt the first stirrings of rebellion creeping in  
amidst the unease.

"Jonny, the assistant principal has seen fit to write me a note that  
I'm more than a little upset to read. It seems your grades are  
slipping significantly this term. He wants to know what's going on.  
You're teachers are reporting that you aren't participating in class  
projects, your not finishing your assignments, those that you have  
finished are sloppy and half done. Now, I'd like an explanation."  
Benton sat back in his chair; arms crossed over his chest, and gazed  
forbiddingly at his son.

Jonny fidgeted, remaining silent. He knew exactly what was  
happening. He was spending time with his mom. Time that Benton  
would not be happy about if he knew. And that was the understatement  
of the world. Jonny looked at Benton, feeling like a different  
person. He'd always wanted to please his father, enjoyed earning his  
approval. But now, he wasn't sure he wanted it. Benton was telling  
him one thing, and doing another.

"Well?" Benton glacially asked his obviously petulant son, his face  
stern. He was getting really tired of having to fight with Jonny  
about his grades. It was especially annoying given his son's high  
intelligence.

Rae broke the standoff by waking up and yawning audibly. Benton  
looked over at her and grinned in reply to her baby smile. She had  
Benton wrapped around her little finger already, Will laughingly  
remarked.

Jonny noticed it as well. Suddenly, Jonny was very aware of what had  
happened. He had been clearly replaced by a perfect daughter from  
Benton's adored new wife. Jonny suddenly hated them all. Hadji was  
Benton's perfect son – he loved all the same type of intellectual  
stuff Benton did, and Jonny didn't care for. Jonny was now the  
outcast third.

Benton, unfortunately, chose that moment to look back at his  
reclatricant son. His statement changed from that of contented  
delight that Jonny had often seen turned on him, but seldom of late,  
to that of forbidding sternness. "Well?"

Jonny just shrugged, and remained silent.

"Jonathan, I want an explanation." Benton waited.

Jonny just looked off out the window.

"Fine, consider yourself grounded until your grades go up." Benton  
looked back at the letter. "I'll contact your teachers and get extra  
work assigned so you can catch up."

Jonny hardly heard the latter part of Benton's comments. He was  
focused on the grounded part. "No! You can't," he exclaimed. If he  
were grounded, he wouldn't get to see his mom.

Will jumped in. "Benton, that's not fair. Don't be so hard on him."

"You shut up!" Jonny shouted at her, angry and frightened now by the  
very real prospect of not being able to see Rachel. "Stay out of  
this!"

Rae, startled by the sudden shouting, added her feelings by beginning  
to scream. Will looked at Jonny, shocked at the unexpected attack.

Benton leaped to his feet and advanced on Jonny. "Jonathan Quest!  
Apologize to Will at once. That was completely uncalled for. She  
was here because I wanted her input."

"But I didn't! Nobody asked me. You never ask me! She's not my  
mom, even if you did marry her. I don't have to listen to her!"

Benton grabbed Jonny by the shoulders and began to shake him. "What  
is your problem? What's gotten into you? Answer me, NOW!"

"Why? So I can be what YOU want me to be? What about me? Why  
doesn't anyone ask me what I want? Maybe I hate school." Jonny was  
so angry; he didn't realize that he was talking back to his father  
for the first time in his life.

Adding to the din, Rae continued to scream, showing that she  
definitely had the lungpower of her father and half-brother, as well  
as their tempers.

Will waded into the confusion shouting, "Knock it off, both of you!  
Benton! Think about what you're doing!"

Jonny struggled to get away from his father who was shaking him so  
hard he thought his teeth were coming loose.

"Benton!" Will's voice added to the mêlée, trying to get her husband  
back under control.

Benton suddenly realized what he was doing, and let go of Jonny as  
though he had had a severe electric shock. Jonny, suddenly released  
from the violent shaking, stumbled backwards into the table, and fell  
sideways, striking first his shoulder, then the back of his head on  
the cold marble hearth of the fireplace.

And noise was suddenly stilled as the ringing in his ears washed out  
everything. Jonny lay stunned for a moment, trying to clear his  
swimming head. Benton's white face appeared in his vision a moment  
later.

"Jonny," Benton gasped, appalled. "Are you okay? I didn't  
realize . . ."

Jonny didn't even let him finish; he didn't want to hear it. He  
shook off his father's hands as Benton moved to help his son to his  
feet, and stumbled up on his own. Ducking under his dad's grasp,  
Jonny dashed for the door, bypassing a surprised Race who was coming  
to see what the problem was. Jonny pelted up the stairs to his room,  
and safe isolation. Shutting the door behind him, he made for the  
window seat in the bay window overlooking the ocean. Leaning back  
against the wall, he pulled his knees up to his chest, leaned his  
forehead against the cool glass and shut his eyes, gasping for  
breath, shuddering as reaction set in.

Jonny had no idea his father could be that violent. He was really  
shaken from his encounter. He'd heard rumors about his Dad's  
legendary temper while visiting I-1s headquarters, but he'd never  
believed them. It had always seemed so out of character for the  
father he knew. Until now, that is. He'd learned a lot about his  
Dad lately, and most of it he didn't care for. All he wanted to do  
now was see mom.

"Jonny?" Benton's voice was practically in his ear. Jonny hadn't  
even heard him come in. He tensed in surprise and hugged his knees  
tighter in spite of himself.

"Son? I'm very sorry. I don't know what came over me," his father's  
voice held a tone of legitimate contriteness.

Jonny opened his eyes and stared out the window, refusing to look at  
Benton. He knew exactly what had come over him. He had dared to  
stand up for himself and his Dad had lost it. He wasn't stupid; he  
wished his father wouldn't treat him like he was.

Jonny flinched involuntarily as he felt a hand on his shoulder. The  
hand dropped away.

"There is never an excuse for physical violence, and I'm terribly  
sorry that I shook you. Are you all right? That was quite a knock  
on the head you took."

Jonny could hear the concern in his father's tone. He just nodded  
without looking at him, though in truth, he had a splitting headache,  
and it felt like it was going to get worse.

"Jonny, please, can we talk about this. I promise I won't get mad."

Silence. Jonny just concentrated on the movement of the ocean,  
wishing his father would just disappear.

"Ok. You know you can come talk to me anytime."

Yeah right. Jonny'd tried that several times since Rae was born.  
His father's `anytime' meant when he wasn't working, with Will, or  
with Rae. By now Jonny knew exactly where he fit in. And if he  
hadn't figured it out already, seeing his mother alive had filled him  
in on the truth.

Benton sighed. "Ok, I'll leave you alone. And your not grounded.  
We'll work this out later. Come down when you feel like it, and  
we'll talk."

Benton moved to pat his son's shoulder, but Jonny caught the movement  
out of the corner of his eye, and adroitly shifted so that the hand  
fell short, missing him completely.

Jonny stayed on the window seat the rest of that evening. He had  
lots of food for thought. He was really beginning to think that his  
mother was right about his father. Oh, she'd never said in so many  
words that Benton was duplicitous, but Jonny was getting the  
picture. He was beginning to wonder what else had happened.

He could hear Jessie and Hadji pass back and forth in the hallway,  
but he ignored them. They had obviously been told to leave him  
alone, for which he was thankful. Darkness fell, and Jonny was  
grateful for the anonymity.

"Jonny?" A light tap of the door, then he heard Will come in,  
accompanied by the light jingle of Bandit's collar. "Do you want  
something to eat?"

Jonny just shook his head, still staring out the window. He wanted  
to be far away from here.

"Bandit has been worried about you. He's been sitting outside your  
door for hours. I finally just had to let him in."

Jonny felt a blanket settle over his shoulders and drape over his  
lap. It felt good against the chill of the evening.

"You're father is mortified by his behavior, Sweetheart. He truly  
loves you. Unfortunately he does have a temper." No kidding, Jonny  
thought, as he felt a light touch on his hair. "Sleep well." Then  
she left.

Bandit jumped up on the window seat next to him and settled down.  
Jonny watched the moon rise. Tomorrow morning, first thing, he was  
going to see Mom. He needed to talk to her and get some things  
straight. Dad was right on that. He did need to talk, but not to  
him, to Mom. She'd give him the straight scoop. Good thing it was  
Saturday. He'd be out on his bike before anyone else was up.

Chapter Nine

Jonny woke up just before five the next morning, stiff and cold. He  
realized he'd been sitting in the same position on the window seat  
since the scene in the family room yesterday afternoon. He got up  
and stretched, looking out at the fog blocking the sunrise over the  
Atlantic Ocean.

"Com'on, Bandit. Let's go. I need OUT of this house!" As Jonny  
turned, he felt a lancing pain through the back of his neck and  
realized he had a splitting headache. He felt the back of his head  
with careful fingers, wincing as he found a raised knot. Marble was  
certainly hard.

Jonny dressed and grabbed some Advil out of the medicine cabinet in  
his private bathroom. After downing 2, he thought a moment and took  
the bottle with him. He didn't plan to come back until the last  
possible moment this afternoon, and this headache felt like he'd  
definitely need more. Mentally he cursed his father, then stopped  
dead in shock. He'd never even had thoughts about his dad like that  
before. But then again, he'd never been aware of how much his father  
was lying to him before, either. Well, he wasn't a child anymore,  
content to accept things blindly.

Patting the pocket of his pullover windbreaker to make sure the pager  
was hidden firmly, he quietly let himself and Bandit out of his room  
and into the quiet hall. Absolutely nobody was stirring. Good.  
He'd noticed that with a new baby in the house, people were up at  
some really strange hours. At least everyone appeared to be asleep  
right now. He might be able to get out without seeing anyone.

Silently, Jonny made his way down the stairs to the kitchen. The  
only sound was the slight noise of Bandit's tags on his collar.  
Jonny put his fanny pack, bike pack, and bottle of Advil on the  
kitchen counter.

Quickly, efficiently and quietly, Jonny fed Bandit, added an apple, a  
couple bottles of water and some Gatorade to the collection on the  
counter, and began rooting around in the fridge for sandwich  
makings. His arms full of cheeses and meats, he turned back to the  
counter.

"Going somewhere?"

Jonny started visibly in surprise. Race was leaning against the  
counter, examining Jonny's small pile of supplies. He was wearing  
only pajama bottoms and was bare-chested, obviously just awakened.  
Even so, he looked perfectly alert. Typical agent B.S. Jonny  
thought in disgust. Always instantly wide-awake. He mentally kicked  
himself. He thought he'd been really quiet.

Jonny regained his composure and put his burden down on the counter  
and began to make several sandwiches. He shrugged in response to  
Race's query, and was thankful he'd kept the pager in his pocket –  
and not put it on the counter. That would have been a disaster to  
try and explain.

"Out on my bike," he answered shortly, clearly discouraging  
conversation.

"Pretty early," Race commented in response. He picked up the bottle  
of Advil. "Headache?"

Jonny only nodded curtly, and kept buttering bread.

Race moved over and felt the back of Jonny's head. Jonny flinched as  
Race found the small lump. "Ow!" he exclaimed, ducking out of the  
way and turning to glare at Race.

Race returned to his original position against the counter,  
commenting, "Sure you're okay, Kiddo? That's quite a knot. Any  
double vision?"

"No! I'm just fine," Jonny snapped irritably.

"Ok." Race watched him speculatively for a moment. Jonny had a bad  
feeling that Race was considering forbidding him going. He wasn't  
sure what he'd do if Race did that. But thankfully, instead Race  
finally just asked, "Do you want some breakfast?"

Jonny shook his head as he packed the sandwiches in waxed paper.

"You're Dad was pretty upset last night," Race began again, looking  
carefully at Jonny. Jonny began to feel as though he was under a  
microscope. Most people only had one or two parents. He had the bad  
luck to have three under his roof, and only one was his real parent.

`My Dad was upset', Jonny thought. Funny, both Will and Race had  
prefaced their remarks the exact same way. His Dad. What about  
him? Obviously the only item of importance was his Dad's feelings.  
Jonny's reason for being upset was pretty clearly of no consequence.  
If his father hadn't been upset, would they have ignored the whole  
thing? Probably, Jonny thought bitterly.

"Why don't you stay a little longer, have some breakfast, and talk to  
him when he gets up? I know he wants to talk to you," Race  
suggested. "He was very concerned about you last night, but felt you  
needed the space."

Great, now everybody knows about it. How can you live in such a big  
house and never have anything be your own business, Jonny reflected.  
He could just see the scene-everybody ranged about him, inserting  
their own opinions, and never asking his. Just like being on trial.

"Uh-uh," Jonny said with finality while packing everything he had  
ranged on the counter into his fanny pack and bike pack.

Race sighed patiently. "Feel like talking to me then? Just the two  
of us? How about I come with you."

"No! I just want to be alone! Is that too much to ask?" Jonny said  
explosively, temper flaring as he turned to look Race in the eye for  
the first time.

Race raised both hands in surrender. "No problem. Where are you  
going?"

Jonny shrugged.

"Ok, when will you be home?" Race prodded.

Silence as Jonny continued packing.

"Jonny," Race said warningly.

Knowing he'd pushed as far as he could, Jonny answered  
shortly, "Dinner, I'll be back by dinner." Whistling to Bandit, he  
grabbed his packs and headed for the garage, seeing Race watching him  
in concern out of the corner of his eye.

Chapter Ten

Jonny didn't breath easy until he was safe on the road, pedaling  
hard, with Bandit loping alongside. He figured it was too early to  
contact Rachel, so he got a workout instead. Finally, several miles  
out of town, he stopped on the coast road for a breather, and  
contacted his mother. It was just after 7am, so he figured he was  
safe. She was up, and very happy to have a whole day to spend with  
him. They arranged a meeting place at an isolated State Park up the  
highway a ways. Jonny got back on the bike and headed for the  
rendezvous.

When Jonny reached the park, he found his mother's Honda already  
parked near a picnic shelter facing away from the road and towards  
the beach. With the heavy fog and chill early morning air, nobody  
else was around. She waved cheerfully to him, obviously watching for  
him. Jonny and Bandit headed their direction.

"Hi, Honey! This is a very nice surprise. How on earth did you  
manage it? And who is this?" She asked as she bent down to pat the  
bulldog who had decided that since Jonny seemed glad to see this  
woman, then he was too.

Jonny leaned his bike against the shelter wall, and turned to his  
mother who was smiling happily at him, and holding a hand out. Jonny  
felt all his self-control from the last 16 hours slip completely away  
from him as he looked at her. She was so happy to see him. Nobody  
had been that glad to see him for no other reason than it was just  
him for a very long time. He was horrified to feel tears begin  
welling up. His head hurt, he was hurt emotionally as well by his  
father's actions, and for the first time since the scene in the  
family room, the realization that his father had actually lifted his  
hand against him in anger actually hit home. Benton, and Race too,  
for that matter, had spanked him occasionally, but never in a fit of  
rage. Jonny had never seen his father violent towards him, ever.

"Oh, Jonny, what's happened?" Rachel asked in concern. She  
immediately put her arms around him and led him to a blanket that had  
already been set out. She sat down and drew him down beside  
her. "Go ahead and cry, Honey, you'll feel better. It's all right  
now." She soothed him as Jonny finally gave way to his emotions of  
the last afternoon and evening.

Jonny didn't even realize that he'd fallen asleep, until he woke up  
with his head in his mother's lap, with her had gently stroking his  
hair, and Bandit curled up next to him. He sat up groggily and  
rubbed his eyes.

"Good morning," his mother said with a laugh, setting aside the novel  
she'd been reading.

"What time is it?" he asked as he remembered where he was. The sky  
was still dark gray, but the fog had burned off to general overcast.

"Oh, about 11. Jonny, what on earth happened?"

Jonny looked over at his mother. She was sitting back against the  
wall of the picnic shelter, feet curled neatly up underneath her,  
looking concerned. Her short blond hair, the exact same shade as  
Jonny's was cut in a breezy style, and she was athletically trim.  
Anybody seeing them together would definitely know they were related.

Jonny glumly filled his mother in on the events of the last 18 or so  
hours. She was aghast.

"Jonny!" She gasped with wide eyes. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, just a headache," he replied.

Rachel pulled him back against her, hugging him tight. "Oh dear. I  
can't believe he lost control like that. He has a temper,  
but. . . " She broke off.

Leaning against her, Jonny commented absently, "I've seen him lose it  
with creeps like Zin, but never with me. I still can't believe it.  
Can you ever think of him doing anything like that?"

"Well . . ." Rachel began, but then seemed to think better of it and  
broke off.

Jonny, regardless of what his grades were showing at the moment, was  
blessed with a sharp intelligent mind, immediately sat up and  
exclaimed, "Mom! Did Dad ever hit you?"

"Not deliberately, honey. But, well . . . he shook me, hard, like he  
did you. The same type of thing. A couple of times."

Jonny looked livid.

Rachel continued soothingly, "It's nothing. He shouldn't have done  
it, and like you, as soon as he realized it, he stopped. And it  
sounds like his new wife has him well in control. Now relax. You're  
father is not abusive, ok?"

Jonny subsided sullenly.

Rachel thought for a moment, then said, "And he didn't start shaking  
you until you told, oh, what is her name," she paused, shook her  
head, then continued," to back off?"

"Will, Wilhelmina Harkness," Jonny supplied, then continued. "Yeah,  
that's right. Then he just exploded. I told her it was none of her  
business and basically that she wasn't my mom and to stay out of it."

"Oh, Jonny," Rachel said sadly, "you really shouldn't have said  
that. By marrying Benton, she does have a say in your upbringing."

"No. She doesn't," Jonny said stubbornly. "I didn't ask for her in  
my life. Dad didn't ask me before he married her. He just did it.  
One of those really quick things."

"How did it happen?" Rachel asked curiously.

"Do you really want to know?" Jonny asked, sitting up to look at her  
carefully. "I've tried not to talk about her, I don't want to hurt  
you."

Rachel smiled at him, and smoothed his hair. "Benton and I are over,  
honey. It won't hurt me. It can't. Benton doesn't have that power  
over me anymore."

Jonny nodded and leaned back against her shoulder and began talking.  
Rachel listened quietly, stroking his other shoulder gently.

"Dad was kidnapped, and I-1 sent Race and Will into rescue him. I  
knew something more had happened when Dad kissed her goodbye in front  
of all of us. I mean, it was one of those long, drawn out things.  
Anyway, long story short, he married her two months later. He seems  
to really love her, but then again, I thought he really loved you."

"He did, at one time. But love can die. But back to Will; she's an  
agent?" Rachel asked.

"Uh-huh," Jonny responded. "And she's tough. She told me once that  
if I didn't obey she'd kick my butt so hard my nose would bleed. And  
she meant it, too." Jonny was gratified to feel Rachel stiffen in  
silent protest at that comment.

"Anyway," Jonny continued, "Dad changed after that. He really didn't  
have any time for me after that, and once Rae was born, I've been a  
second class citizen."

"Humm, that is interesting," Rachel commented.

"Why?"

Rachel responded. "Well, you know for a good year and a half, I-1  
kept pretty close tabs on me. Oh, it was under the guise of helping  
Benton discharge his responsibilities to me per our agreement, of  
course, but regardless, they were always around. Once, coming back  
from a therapy session, they thought I was asleep, and they were  
talking about Benton's remarriage. I knew he had remarried. There  
are one or two agents that I can count as friends, and they had told  
me. But they hadn't told me his new wife was one of their own.  
Anyway, my babysitters were laughing about how an I-1 agent was now  
married to Dr. Quest, and that I-1 would now have him under their  
thumb forever. They had it made. They had an inside agent."

"Whoa! Would they do that?" Jonny was incredulous.

"Well, given what I experienced with I-1 when you were small, and  
what I heard after Benton and I divorced-it's well within their  
operating scope to do such a thing. They often pushed other women  
agents on him from the very beginning, hoping to break up our  
marriage and insert someone of their own choosing."

Jonny was amazed. Rachel laughed at his reaction. "Oh, yes. The  
government is very concerned about it's property-human or  
technology. It wouldn't surprise me to find out that they had  
instigated it all . . . Will hooking up with Benton, then getting  
pregnant to trap him, the whole thing. And I've heard of Wilhelmina  
Harkness. . " She broke off her sentence, as though starting  
something she thought better of.

"What?" Jonny asked curiously.

"Nothing," Rachel said with a smile and a shake of her head.

"Yeah, there is something. What did you hear?"

"Well . . ." Rachel hesitantly began, then continued at Jonny's firm  
nod. "Wilhelmina Harkness has always had a `reputation' around the  
agency. She has always been considered, well, `fast'," she said  
delicately.

"Mom! You CAN say it out loud," Jonny laughed, as he rolled his  
eyes. "I've heard it before."

"All right, all right. They said clearly that Agent Harkness was  
an `easy lay'. A whore," she finished deliberately, then  
grinned. "There, satisfied? I said it."

Jonny just grinned in return.

Rachel continued, "It was the scuttlebutt in the agency that she had  
been very carefully trained in the fine arts of pleasing a man, and  
that not only had she used this personally, but for the agency who  
made sure she got the training in the first place."

Jonny began, thinking out loud, "That would explain . . ." he  
muttered.

"What?" Rachel encouraged.

"Well, Hadj, Jess and I have spied on them," Jonny rushed his  
words. "I mean, they'll have sex anywhere! The kitchen, the  
library, the cars, the pool, you name it."

Rachel laughed. "What did I tell you? Of course he's happy.  
Remember what I said about needs? They sound like they are being  
satisfied quite nicely by the brazenness of performance. Let me tell  
you, your father isn't that much of an exhibitionist by nature. He  
was much more private when I was married to him, thank heavens. A  
little decorum and privacy, please! She obviously has him thinking  
with something other than his brain. I-1 definitely has what it  
wants."

"I'll say," Jonny muttered.

Rachel laughed and hugged him close. "Your father loves you, Honey.  
Your just learning that he's human after all. Sometimes that's very  
hard to see. He isn't perfect, far from it. But neither are any of  
us."

"Well, it would be nice if he wouldn't lie to me," Jonny grumbled,  
then thought a moment, "Hey! You know, everybody in Rockport thinks  
he's this high, upstanding, moral person, and they don't even know  
he's married to Will, or he's her baby's father. Heck, DAD didn't  
even know he was the baby's father at first. They had a big fight  
one night when we were in New Orleans. I overheard them. The next  
morning Dad was muttering about having a blood test done. He was  
really mad." Jonny shrugged. "I don't think he ever did it. And  
besides, Rae looks just like him. There isn't any doubt that she is  
his. And maybe that's why he doesn't like me so much anymore. I  
look too much like you. I used to think that was a good thing,"  
Jonny finished, somewhat disgruntled.

"I think it's a good thing," Rachel laughed.

Jonny beamed back at her with his usual lightening change of mood,  
then continued back on the original subject. "Anyway, it's obvious  
that I'm not the only one both of them are deceived in someway."

"That's right," Rachel said, "the agents were laughing about the fact  
that the marriage was to be kept secret. So, now you know. He still  
loves you, but now you just have your eyes open. Are you feeling  
better?"

Jonny nodded, definitely feeling more himself.

"How about onto more cheerful subjects. That's quite a bike you  
have. It looks like a racing bike. Is it?"

Jonny happily began elaborating on the sports he was involved in, and  
the two spent the rest of the afternoon talking over a wide range of  
subjects, getting to know each other better with each passing hour.

Chapter Eleven

Jonny glumly returned to the house at the appointed time. Dinner  
hour was always at 6pm. Rachel had dropped him off just near enough  
the driveway entrance so he wouldn't have to ride that far. That  
gave them more time to spend with each other. She had also given him  
good advice on how to deal with the scene to follow.

"Play a part, Jonny. Do what they expect. Don't lose your temper.  
Apologize nicely to Will and tell your father you forgive him. Make  
them feel good and they will leave you alone. Then promise to work  
on your grades. I'll help you. I'm a scientist, remember? We'll  
take care of it. Just tell them what they want to hear."

Jonny walked into a house that felt-strange. Nothing was happening  
in the kitchen. Nobody seemed to be around. The table wasn't set,  
Mrs. Evans wasn't there, Hadji and Jessie were nowhere to be seen.  
Slowly, Jonny set his packs on the counter, as Bandit headed for his  
water bowl and dinner that had already been put down for him.

Jonny wandered out into the foyer. This was really weird. He was  
opening his mouth to query IRIS to everyone's whereabouts when Race  
emerged from his suite on the main floor.

"Jonny! There you are!" Race draped an arm over Jonny's shoulders  
and steered him to the family room, maneuvering him towards the  
couch. Race sat on the coffee table across from him.

Jonny didn't have to feign puzzlement when he spoke. "Where is  
everybody?"

Race looked concerned. "Rae was very ill this morning. Benton, Will  
and Rae just got home from the hospital. She's fine," he hastened to  
add, "but she was very, very sick. It happens sometimes with  
babies. She woke up with a high fever. It broke about 2 this  
afternoon, and they just released her. Will and Benton are upstairs  
with her now. Hadji and Jessie went to the hospital with us, and we  
dropped them off to see a movie in town. They needed a break."

Jonny just nodded in relief. He was pleased Rae was okay. It wasn't  
her fault she was a pain. And he was just as glad not to see Hadji  
and Jess. They asked too many questions.

"Anyway, Benton's a little preoccupied right now, but he's still very  
concerned about you and what happened yesterday. He asked me to talk  
to you. Now what is going on?" Race finished, concern etched on his  
face.

Jonny remembered his mother's coaching, acted as expected, and  
followed the script. "Are you sure Rae's ok?" he asked first,  
meaning it, but not caring as much as Race probably thought he  
should. He just made sure he didn't show it. Why did they all think  
he would feel the same way about things that they did? Did they  
think he didn't have a brain?

Race nodded thankfully. "Yes, she's fine. I knew you'd be worried  
and Benton wanted to reassure you on the point as well," Race  
finished, then pointedly waited.

Jonny did as expected. He apologized for his behavior yesterday and  
this morning, talked about the fact that it was hard to concentrate  
on schoolwork with all the changes in his life, Rae and all, and said  
he was just tired from all the working out he'd been doing. He  
finished by promising to do better with his homework.

And the amazing fact was that Race bought it all, looking very  
relieved. Rachel was right, tell them what they expected. Race  
headed upstairs to report to Benton, and Jonny, bemused, headed into  
the kitchen for dinner. That had been easier than expected. Lying  
really wasn't that hard. Tell them what they expect to hear. Was  
that what his father had been doing to him all this time?

Jonny grabbed another sandwich and headed upstairs to his room. He  
was stopped at his door by his father's voice as he came out of the  
nursery.

"Yeah, Dad?" He answered calmly.

Benton moved quickly over to his son's side. "I'm so sorry about  
yesterday, Jonny. That was inexcusable of me. I just want to make  
sure you're all right. And Race said he talked to you. I'm sorry,  
but Rae . . ." He gave Jonny a quick hug.

Jonny steeled himself not to flinch, or show his real feelings in his  
eyes. Tell them what they expect to hear. "It's okay Dad. I know  
you didn't mean it. How's Rae?"

Benton's relief at his son's demeanor and Rae's recovery showed  
clearly on his tired face. "She's fine," he said, taking a deep  
breath. "Thank heavens. It's an ear infection, but with a fever  
that high, you don't take chances. And I just wanted to make sure  
you were all right. Race was worried about you this morning. He  
told me about running into you in the kitchen. I was worried too."  
He hugged his son again.

"I'm okay," Jonny said, steadying the glass of milk he held. "I just  
needed some space." And of course he knew Race would tell his dad  
about seeing him in the kitchen. Didn't Race always tell his father  
everything? Everybody always made sure Benton came first. Jonny  
wasn't stupid. He knew that.

"Okay," Benton commented, "I understand. Just get the grades back  
up, ok?" He smiled at Jonny's nod, then continued, "Great, now I've  
got to get Rae's formula. She's hungry now that she feels better."  
He squeezed Jonny's shoulder again in relief and headed back down the  
stairs.

Jonny was bemused as he gratefully entered the privacy of his own  
room, holding the door slightly so Bandit, who had just materialized,  
could slip through, and set his meal down on his desk. Tell them  
what they want to hear. Well, that was easy. And he supposed he  
should be grateful to Rae for getting sick. That certainly took the  
heat off him.

But still, Jonny was annoyed that his father had sent Race to talk to  
him instead of doing it himself. Well, that was certainly par for  
the course in his life right now. He rated about as high with his  
father, as well, Bandit did. Thinking about his conversations with  
his mother, he realized that he was probably just one more possession  
to his father.

Jonny continued the plan his mother had helped him set up. He  
finished his homework, and did what he was expected to do the next  
day. He ate family meals, apologized politely to Will, who was  
really distracted with Rae's illness, played in Questworld with Hadji  
and Jessie, and basically acted a part. It was a long day, but he  
thought he done pretty well. He was glad there was school the next  
day; he didn't think he could keep it up. It felt really, really  
foreign to him. He could relax at school, and see his Mom in the  
afternoon. He'd already told Race he was going to run after school.  
They had bought it easily. And the amazing thing was that to his  
family, the whole scene with his father in the family room on Friday  
afternoon was treated like it never happened.

Well, Jonny knew it had. And it had shown him a side of his father  
that he didn't like one bit. And now he knew his father for what he  
really was. A lying bastard. And Jonny felt no compunctions about  
lying right back. Not anymore. His mother deserved better than  
she'd gotten from his father, and frankly, so did he. He could  
hardly wait until Monday afternoon.

Chapter Twelve

Jonny's next several conversations with his mother stressed his self-  
control at home to its absolute limit. He remarked to her that  
acting as though nothing was different was much harder, the more you  
actually knew. There were several minor blow-ups and only Jonny's  
hard work at controlling himself kept them from becoming major  
artillery strikes against his family.

Rachel had been very concerned regarding Jonny's earlier comment  
about being a second-class citizen, and had encouraged him to  
elaborate. Jonny had, talking about the additions of Will and Rae,  
and the changes their presence had wrought.

"You'd think Rae was Dad's only child, the way he dotes on her. I  
mean, I'm his kid, and so is Hadji. But Hadji doesn't seem to mind.  
He just spends time with Dad in the lab, helping him on projects and  
stuff," Jonny said bitterly. "I'm the odd one out. I guess knowing  
how he feels about you makes me realize that he'd rather not see me  
so much anyway. I really look like you. I wonder why he keeps your  
portrait up?"

"For your sake, probably," Rachel shrugged. "Didn't you say he told  
Will he'd take it down if she wanted him too?"

"Uh-huh. She said to leave it. She wasn't worried."

Rachel asked him to elaborate on Rae, so Jonny obliged. "The weird  
thing is that I don't get why Dad named her Rachel," Jonny commented  
as he finished.

"Who knows. He did tell me once that he'd always liked the name.  
And maybe to appease my parents, who still think I'm dead, by the  
way."

Jonny was completely appalled. Rachel laughed at his statement. "I-  
1 doesn't discriminate. It was easier for them that way. Anyway,  
your father dotes on Rae you said?"

"Yeah," Jonny said with notable bitterness. "And now there's baby  
crap in every room in the house."

Rachel laughed again. "In Benton's museum? Really? That's  
unbelievable."

"Oh yeah. There's swings in practically every room, including the  
lab and Dad's office, and a playpen or crib in each one too. That  
kid has everything! And I found a picture where I was sleeping in a  
dresser drawer. Go figure."

Rachel looked amazed. "I remember that. We didn't have much in the  
way of furniture for you. Benton kept planning to get more, and  
something always came up."

"Yeah, well, Rae not only has the antique family cradle, she often  
takes her naps in Dad's lab. Its like he hates being parted from the  
kid," Jonny finished bitterly.

Rachel shook her head in patent disbelief. "Well, that certainly is  
a change. Remind me of this when I say your father never changes,"  
she remarked.

"Why?" Jonny wanted to know.

Rachel looked at her son with some trepidation.

"Why!" Jonny pushed.

"Well, because when you were born, he wasn't really interested in you  
as an infant. I mean, he was thrilled to have a son, but frankly, in  
his eyes, you didn't get interesting until you started to talk and  
communicate readily."

Jonny looked slightly puzzled. "Okay, but what about all the  
pictures taken of me and Dad. I mean, albums full."

Rachel looked at him sadly. "One moment out of time. One moment out  
of thousands in a day, I'm sorry to say. You certainly didn't spend  
much time in his lab, I can tell you that."

Not much surprised Jonny anymore. He shrugged and said, "Well, what  
else is new. I'm not that interesting to him now, either. That's  
pretty obvious. Rae is far more fascinating, I guess. He hardly  
lets her out of his sight. Whereas something always manages to come  
up when I want to talk to him about something," he finished bitterly.

Rachel looked concerned at Jonny's reaction. "I'm sorry, Honey. I  
really wish I could tell you differently."

Jonny smiled sadly at his mother. "Yeah, me too. But I'm glad to  
know the truth. It just confirms what I've always felt deep  
down . . . that I'm an outsider. Hadji and Jessie are so smart, and  
they've always been more like Dad than I am. And now he has a  
daughter who looks just like him. Hair color and all."

"Well, you know the saying about `daddy's little girl'. And middle  
children always have the hardest time, and now, well, that's you."

"Oh yeah," Jonny agreed. "And Jessie is Race's daughter, so I'm  
second best there. At least it's better than being third with my own  
dad."

Rachel hugged him. "But you're first with me!"

Things at home continued to deteriorate. Benton was becoming  
increasingly impatient with his youngest son. "What's gotten into  
you? You're becoming increasingly rude to Will, and to me, and  
basically behaving abominably in general to everyone else."

Not nearly as badly as he'd like to, Jonny reflected. In actually,  
he'd done amazingly well at holding his tongue. He repeated his  
mantra in his head. `Do what they expect you to do. Say what's  
expected.' He apologized contritely.

"Apologizing isn't enough, young man. Clean up your act and start  
behaving." Jonny was sent to his room to `think about it'. And  
think he did, but probably not the way his father wanted him too. It  
was a very good thing that Will and Rae were distracting his Dad as  
much as they were, or Benton would have been coming down on him much  
harder. But Jonny was afraid he wasn't fooling Race nearly as well.  
He seemed to be watching him with narrowed eyes. Jessie was just  
plain avoiding him.

Hadji however, had tried several times to talk to him. Of everybody  
in the household, Hadji just might have been the one person to  
understand. Jonny was tempted, several times, to confide in him, but  
Hadji was just working too closely with Benton to suit Jonny, so he  
just didn't dare.

And now Jonny's schoolwork was deteriorating again, but he found it  
hard to be worried about it. Frankly, he just couldn't be bothered.

"Maybe he'll just give up on me," Jonny said hopefully to Rachel one  
afternoon.

"Not a chance. You're his son, remember? This is Benton's perfect  
world," she laughed, then continued quietly, "And you don't really  
want him to, do you?"

"No," Jonny agreed honestly. "I don't. But I wish he'd just love me  
without any strings attached. I feel like I've lost my Dad," he said  
sadly. "But then again, I never really had him, did I? It was all  
just a lie."

Rachel hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry. I should never have come  
back. You were doing fine without me."

Jonny's resolve hardened once more. "No, I wasn't. Will and Rae  
ruined everything. Dad may be a liar, but he liked me fine  
before `they' came along."

And there wasn't much Rachel could say to that. They both knew he  
was right.

Chapter Thirteen

"JONATHAN!" Benton's voice cracked the sudden, stunned silence like a  
gunshot. Will stood silent looking completely devastated by Jonny's  
comment. She knew Jonny wasn't happy about his father's remarriage,  
but she really hadn't thought it was about her personally. But to  
call her a `whore' to her face, with the rest of the family present  
was just about unbelievable.

"Apologize to Will AT ONCE!" Benton demanded, abject fury written in  
every line of his face.

Jonny just stood silent, mutinous. It was very clear to all present  
that he wanted to say more, and just as clear that apologizing was  
the farthest thing from his mind.

Benton lunged forward and grabbed his son's arm and propelled him up  
the stairs. "Excuse us," he said with barely controlled anger, as he  
escorted Jonny away.

"Jess, Hadji . . . Take Rae and go out to the patio, please," Race  
ordered quietly. The other two teens obeyed, still looking wide-eyed.

"Will . . ." Race turned to her. Will just stood there, barely  
holding back tears. "He didn't mean it . . .," He continued in  
concern.

"Yes he did," Will whispered. "I knew he didn't like his father  
marrying again, but I hadn't thought that he disliked me so  
personally. I mean, I knew he couldn't possibly accept the betrayal  
of Benton's remarrying. For most of his life, he's been told how  
beautiful, intelligent and truly amazing his mother was, and how no  
woman could ever come close to her. Now, I come along; we have a  
quick marriage. I'll never win a Nobel Prize . . . I've killed  
people . . . I'm not beautiful . . ." Race's growl of protest broke  
her off.

"Will, Jonny's not like that. I don't know what's going on with the  
kid, but we'll figure it out," he said as he hugged her.

"Not with Benton as angry as he is now." Will pulled away as she  
looked up the stairs. "This will only make him hate me more," she  
commented as she looked back at  
Race. "Jonny already feels like I've taken his mothers place." After  
a slight pause, she continued. "Benton married me practically  
overnight. Now Jonny feels like I've taken Rachel's place, and now  
Rachel Elyse has taken his. Jonny is no longer the baby of the  
family, and he's no longer Benton's only biological child. In  
Jonny's eyes, he has nothing left to lose. The more he pushes, the  
angrier Benton will get, and the more Jonny will be convinced that  
his father is taking my side. Which means that Benton will be even  
less likely to give Jonny what he really needs-a little reassurance  
and attention."

Race nodded. Will's logic was very clear. And it made perfect  
sense. Unfortunately, Benton, who was so brilliant in most areas of  
his life, was so livid at Jonny's truly reprehensible behavior, that  
he was most likely to deal with the actions, and not the reasons  
behind them.

"I need to get out of here so I can think. I'm going for a walk,"  
Will looked about at the end of her self-control. "Will you take  
care of Rae for me? Please tell Benton that I'm not angry with  
Jonny, and that I'll be back in a few minutes. I just need to be  
alone for a few minutes."

Race smiled and hugged his long time friend for the second time. "Of  
course. And it will work out."

Will just gave him a quick small smile, and headed out of the house  
in relief.

Jonny's bedroom door slammed like a thunderclap as Benton stormed out  
of his son's room. Shaking slightly in the aftermath of the  
unpleasant scene, Jonny wandered out to his balcony, and slid  
bonelessly down the stone side of the house. He sat leaning against  
the wall, legs outstretched in front of him. He was exhausted, all  
he wanted to do was cry, and get out of this house.

He had never in his life seen his father so angry. Jonny still  
couldn't believe that he had actually said what he did out loud. The  
incident that had sparked the whole scene was no different from  
hundreds of others. He and Hadji and Jessie were coming up from the  
lighthouse, and met Benton, Will and Rae returning from a doctor's  
appointment. Race had heard everybody arrive and came out to join  
them.

It was the usual crap, Jonny recalled. Nothing any different than  
normal. Everyone doting on Rae. Then Will had asked if he and  
Jessie had done their homework. Of course Jessie the perfect had  
done hers. But he had just hemmed and hawed, avoiding the subject.  
Will had taken him to task about it.

Jonny hadn't meant to say anything, but his homework was none of  
Will's business. She had no right getting on his case about it, and  
besides, she wasn't exactly perfect either. He'd learned a lot about  
everybody's dirty little secrets lately. Anyway, it was out of his  
mouth before he had realized it. And in the sudden, glacial silence,  
he knew he had meant it, and that he didn't regret it.

Jonny had really thought his Dad was going to hit him, he was so  
angry. He'd marched him into his room, slammed the door, and rounded  
on him, demanding an explanation. Jonny had refused to answer.  
Amazing how when it was Jonny being insulted and ignored, his father  
had overlooked everything, and had an easy excuse each time. But  
when he commented on the truth about Will, Jonny was evil incarnate.

Benton had dissected his recent behavior, then demanded an apology  
for his comments about Will. Jonny then had taken the biggest gamble  
of his life. He looked his father in the eye and stated, "Why? You  
always told me to tell the truth. How come when it's something you  
don't want to hear, I get in trouble for stating the facts?"

Benton's reaction proved to Jonny beyond anything words could say,  
that everything Rachel had said to him was true. Benton towered over  
his son in an even greater rage, if that were possible. He  
practically quivered with fury. His hands opened and closed in  
fists. Jonny took an involuntary step backwards. He really thought  
his father was going to hit him!

Benton gathered the last remnants of his self-control, and commented  
through clenched teeth, "Consider yourself grounded until further  
notice. I will see you in the morning, and you are not to take a  
step out of your room. You will stay here and rethink about  
apologizing to Will." And with that, he spun on his heel and exited  
the room in barely controlled anger.

Jonny sat, leaning against the wall; head bowed on his knees, and  
knew he'd lost his father for good. This was it. Dad had taken  
Will's side, and always would. He had nothing left. His father had  
now betrayed him completely. Just like he had betrayed Jonny's  
mother. Jonny closed his eyes and drifted. He had no idea what to  
do now.

Benton stalked down the stairs, to see Race waiting at the base,  
leaning against the newel post.

"Well?" Race asked calmly. He noticed that Benton looked even  
angrier than he had before. Race hadn't even realized that that was  
a possibility.

"I'm going to kill him," Benton commented through clenched  
teeth. "I'm absolutely going to kill him. He's not repentant at  
all. I'm about ready to turn him over my knee and paddle some sense  
into him."

"It's a good thing you left," Race said easily, steering Benton  
towards the family room. "That's not something to do in anger."

"Oh, its still a very viable option, believe me," Benton ground out,  
prowling the room, as Race leaned against the mantle. "Where's Will?"

"She went for a walk," he said, then continued as Benton's statement  
changed to worry. "She's okay. She's not angry, and wanted to make  
sure you knew that."

Benton's face clouded over in anger once again. "Well, I am. I  
didn't raise my son to speak that way to ANYONE. He's been taught to  
be more respectful than that."

Race reflected that Will was right. This was not the time to discuss  
anything right now.

Mrs. Evans poked her head into the room carefully at that  
point. "Excuse me, but dinner is ready. I have it out on the  
patio." She looked in concern at Benton.

Race smiled at her. "Thank you, Mrs. Evans. We'll be right there."  
He turned to Benton as Mrs. Evans left. "Calm down, Benton. Come  
eat, we'll figure it out later." He watched as Benton took a deep  
breath, purposely trying to calm himself.

"All right. You're right, as usual." Benton agreed, having himself  
in hand once again.

"Not always," Race laughed, "But this time I am."

Chapter Fourteen

Jonny could hear vague voices from the patio at the back of the  
house. As usual, he was odd man out, and life was going on just like  
normal without him. He wasn't even missed. How typical, he thought  
bitterly. Right then, he knew what he was going to do. Going back  
into his room, he fished his message pager from its hiding place,  
then took it back to the balcony. Resuming his seat, he sent a  
message to Rachel.

To his gratification, she acknowledged his message immediately.

Yes Jonny?

"Mom, I need you to meet me right away at the front gates," he spoke  
quietly into the little device, and watched as his spoken words were  
translated to written characters.

Now?

Jonny could pick up her surprise in that one word.

"Yes. Now. Please mom."

All right. Front Gate ASAP. Love you. Rachel.

"Thanks. Love you too. Jonny."

Jonny turned the device off, shoved it into his pocket, and suited  
words to action. Without a look back, he threw his leg over the  
stone balustrade, and proceeded to shimmy down the side of the  
house. Knowing everyone was at dinner on the back patio, he  
hurriedly crossed the lawn to the cover of the trees. Once out of  
sight of the house, he trotted determinedly down the long drive in  
the cooling spring air. He'd had it. He could hardly wait to get  
out.

He didn't have to wait long for the car to pull up. He hardly let it  
stop before he was in the passenger side, and motioning Rachel to  
drive on.

Rachel looked at him in concern. "Honey, what is it? You look  
upset."

"Oh, yeah." Jonny comment grimly. "Can we just go out to the bluff?  
You know, the one we met at a couple of times."

Rachel looked briefly at him, and nodded slowly, turning her  
attention back to the road. "Of course," she commented quietly, as  
Jonny slumped down in the seat next to her, brooding in silence.

Rachel let him be silent until they had arrived at their destination,  
and climbed up the slight rise, and rounded the clump of rocks to the  
spot Jonny had mentioned. Rachel sat down, and hugged her knees as  
she watched her son.

"Jonny, what's wrong?" She asked in concern.

Jonny stared out at the ocean, occasionally pitching a rock out to  
the depths. He then turned to his mother and came back and sat  
beside her.

"Can I come live with you?" He asked abruptly.

Rachel drew in a quick breath. "Why?" She asked carefully.

"Because I hate Dad. I hate Will. I have nothing there anymore."  
He answered sullenly.

"Jonny, you do not hate your father. What a thing to say," Rachel  
commented in amazement.

"Yes I do. He always takes Will's side in everything. I've had it."

"Jonny, what sparked this? You were doing okay up until now. I've  
never heard you like this," she asked in concern.

"I told Will to mind her own business, then I called her a whore."  
Jonny shrugged. "Dad didn't deny it, or ask why. He just demanded  
that I apologize to her. When I wouldn't, he drug me to my room. I  
told him I had told the truth, just like he'd always told me too."  
Jonny turned suddenly to Rachel, betrayal overtaking anger in a  
flash. "I thought he was going to hit me, Mom. He was that mad."  
Jonny turned back to face the water, and finished quietly. "He's  
never been that mad in my defense, ever. I just don't matter  
anymore. He has Hadji and Rae. I've been discarded, just like he  
did to you."

"Oh, Jonny," Rachel said in quiet compassion. "Oh, Son, of course  
you can come live with me. I'd love it. But think about what you're  
giving up. My lifestyle is a lot more hand to mouth. I'm not  
wealthy like you're father. Sometimes I'm not sure where my next  
meal is coming from."

Jonny turned suddenly to her. "I don't care, Mom. I want to be with  
you. I can't live there anymore."

"Is there anything you need? When do you want to leave?" Rachel  
asked with dawning hope.

"Now. There isn't anything there I want," Jonny said  
stubbornly. "I'll miss Bandit, but he'll be fine with Hadji."

"Ok. We'll need to leave town quickly," Rachel warned. "And we're  
going to be on the run. Your father has a long reach. It will be  
precarious."

Jonny nodded. He understood perfectly. The two began to make  
plans.

Suddenly, Race Bannon's voice broke the companionable  
planning. "Jonny, get back."

Jonny looked up in shocked surprise to see Will and Race, armed to  
the teeth, Glocks extended and focused on Rachel. Jonny and Rachel  
both sprung to their feet, in stunned surprise.

"FREEZE!" Race's voice was a whip crack, and froze Jonny to the  
spot. He looked in horror at the grim expressions on both agents'  
faces as they carefully moved into position. Jonny and Rachel had  
their backs to the cliff edge, 100 feet down to the water. Race and  
Will moved slowly until they had blocked any avenues of escape.

"Ok, Jonny, now move over to my left," Race's voice instructed, his  
eyes never leaving Rachel's face. She stood calmly, stoically,  
almost as though she had been expecting this.

`No, Race!" Jonny raised his voice. "Its my Mom!"

Benton's voice added to the explosive situation. "Jonny," he called,  
his voice strained, "Come to me, Son."

Jonny looked over to the path that led around the rocks. Benton was  
standing there holding his hand out to his son. Jonny was stunned at  
the tense expression on his father's face. The anger that Jonny had  
last seen was completely erased, replaced by . . . fear? Jonny just  
stared in dumbfounded amazement.

"Please, Son," the tension in Benton's voice was clearly  
evident. "I'm not angry with you. Please. Come here to me."

"No Dad! It's Mom!" Jonny said in agitation.

"No Jonny, she is not your mother. She's an imposter." Benton  
looked with loathing at the woman standing impassively next to his  
son. "Rachel is dead," he finished bluntly.

"Go to your father, Jonny," Race voice broke in firmly.

"NO!" Jonny shook his head in disagreement.

Rachel spoke for the first time. "Benton, tell Jonny the truth," she  
pleaded.

Benton replied with distaste clear in his voice. "I am, Andrea."  
His statement was that of total hatred.

Jonny was completely confused, and getting more so with each passing  
second. He could see his father looking with an expression of  
complete abhorrence at the woman he believed to be his mother. Race  
and Will are in full Agent mode, holding guns to her, all business.  
Jonny was nearly in tears. "Mom, tell him!"

`Rachel' smiled sweetly at Jonny, then said to Benton, "I've told him  
the truth, Benton. It's time to admit what really happened. I can  
understand you wanting to remarry. But you owe Jonny the real truth."

Will spoke for the first time, and it was a snarl. "Dr. Lainer, you  
are the one who owes Jonny the truth. About the fact that you are  
using him to destroy everything he knows and cares about. You're a  
fine one to talk about the truth!" All through her tirade, her gun  
never wavered. "Let him go to his father!" she snapped in conclusion.

Rachel began to laugh softly. "Well, well . . ." she trailed off  
with a smile of surprise at Will. She had not expected Will to have  
such teeth! Especially in defense of this particular stepson, who  
had made her life so miserable lately. "Oh, Agent Harkness, let's be  
real about this . . . Wouldn't you just jump at the chance to get rid  
of the living memory of your rival? Don't you get sick of having to  
look at him day after day and know that no matter what, Benton will  
always love me more than he does you? I know I'd want to ship the  
little bastard off somewhere, if I were you. I'm offering you the  
chance!"

Jonny looked at the woman next to him in shocked surprise. In all  
their meetings and discussions, he had never heard that tone of  
voice, or that manner of speaking before. Much less the crass, blunt  
terms he was hearing come out of her mouth right now.

"Jonny!" Race ordered, breaking his stare. "Go to your father!"  
Jonny unthinkingly did as ordered by the tone of command he had  
obeyed for a good part of his life. He moved a single step towards  
him, then stopped suddenly as he realized what he was doing.

As Jonny halted, Benton called again, agonized, "PLEASE, Son! Come  
here," he pleaded frantically.

Rachel looked at Jonny and said in desperation of her own, "Jonny, oh  
please, I've lost everything. I can't lose you too." Suddenly she  
grabbed him from behind, wrapping her arms around him in a  
surprisingly strong hold, and backed them towards the cliff.

"NO!" Benton yelled in abject horror, nearly beside himself.

"Back off," Rachel instructed coolly.

Jonny struggled to get free. "Let me go!"

"No, Jonny. I'm not going to leave you." Rachel said calmly,  
holding him firmly. "I'm not letting you go ever again."

Will broke the standoff by quietly setting her gun down on the grass  
and raising her hands in front of her in a gesture of pleading and  
surrender. "Please, let go of the boy, Dr. Lainer. If you want to  
hurt someone, then hurt me. I'm the one who has what you want. I'm  
Benton's wife. Just don't hurt Jonny."

Benton was speechless in shock for a moment, then shouted "NO!" His  
world was crumbling rapidly. Now both his son, and his wife, were in  
peril.

Rachel considered Will's comments for a moment, then shook her head  
firmly, "I must say, that is a tempting offer, Agent Harkness. And I  
may regret that I didn't consider it more fully. But no, I'm afraid  
that if I can't have Jonny, then neither can any of you."

Jonny struggled harder. This was definitely not the woman he had  
been talking to, and was nothing like the mother he remembered. Had  
he made a mistake? Dear God, he wasn't sure what to think anymore.

The tense standoff continued, as Will maneuvered ever  
closer. "Please, Dr. Lainer. You know I'm really the one you want."

Rachel backed up right to the very edge of the cliff, still holding  
Jonny firmly. The ground crumbled slightly and dropped to the sea  
far below, bouncing audibly off the rock wall on it's journey to the  
water. Jonny froze as he looked over the edge and registered how  
close they were, and how unstable the earth was. Any movement could  
send them over.

Rachel seemed perfectly calm, however. "Humm, Agent Harkness, or  
should I say `Mrs. Quest', you do propose an excellent bargain, don't  
you think Benton?"

Benton was staying his distance; afraid that if he made a single  
move, the two most important people in his life would die suddenly  
together. He was terrified to even breathe, lest he sway the  
situation. "No," he whispered. "Let them go, please."

Rachel turned her attention to him, and smiled an ugly little  
smile. "Well now, you don't look so arrogant now, do you Benton  
Quest? Can't make a simple choice like this? Your wife or your  
son. Which will it be?" She paused for a moment waiting for an  
answer Benton could not make, then shrugged. "Ok, I'll keep Jonny  
then."

"Andrea!" Will's voice caught the woman attention, once  
again. "It's me you want, and you know it."

At that moment, Jonny felt his world go dark. Hands grabbed him,  
pulling him from Andrea and away from the edge of the cliff. He  
began to cough violently. A confusion of voices and hands pulled at  
him from all directions, and suddenly he couldn't breathe. He tried  
to draw a breath, and his lungs didn't work. The voices intruded  
relentlessly, an indistinct rumble of sound.

"He's stopped breathing! No!"

"Breathe! Damit, BREATHE!

Then the voices faded out, and Jonny let go into darkness.

Chapter Fifteen

Jonny came awake. Well, kind of awake. He was choking. He  
struggled, trying to cough but he couldn't. Something was stuck in  
his throat. His chest burned, and he thrashed, trying to get the  
obstruction cleared.

He felt hands restraining him, and a cool hand brush the hair off his  
hot forehead. He opened his eyes to see Will smiling at him. Jonny  
panicked. He certainly hadn't made a friend of her! She had every  
reason to hate him. He struggled harder, but Will was stronger than  
she looked, and held him still. He choked again, but over it all,  
Will's voice gradually penetrated.

"Shh, Sweetheart, stay still. Everything is all right. I'm not mad  
at you, Jonny, and neither is your father. Shhhh," Will's voice was  
a calm oasis that Jonny tried desperately to focus on. She  
didn't `sound' mad. Then Jonny tried to take another breath, and  
again found he couldn't. He looked at Will for a second, frightened  
now, then lost control and struggled again as he choked, feeling as  
though a band were constricting his chest.

"Quiet, Jonny. Just lie still. Don't struggle, Sweetheart. I know  
it hurts. Shhhh. Try to relax, there you go, that will help." Will  
voice brought him back again, and again, talking to him gently, as  
Jonny tried over and over to breathe normally.

Suddenly his father was there, a calm smile on his face, saying  
something to him that he didn't quite get. Jonny struggled to  
respond, but again found this throat blocked. Will kept talking to  
him, and he looked at her and his father, his eyes wide with fear,  
hanging onto Will's voice as though it was a lifeline. Neither of  
them seemed very worried. Maybe he was okay. Will smiled at him,  
humming a little now. His father put a comforting hand on his  
shoulder, as he turned to speak with someone out of Jonny's sight.

"Yes," Jonny could hear Benton comment, then pause. Then, "Yes, he's  
still fighting it." Another pause. "Yes, all right. Sedation?"  
Jonny thought his father sounded tired. "No, no. I think your  
right. Ok, just a moment."

Benton turned back to his son and said reassuringly, "I'll be right  
back, Son. Will is going stay with you." He squeezed his shoulder.

Jonny nodded slightly, then coughed, and choked again. But through  
everything, the suffocating tightness and burning in his chest, the  
choking, the inability to breathe, Will kept him as calm as she could  
with her voice. Soon, Jonny felt his eyes getting heavy. It was  
getting so hard to stay awake. Now he struggled to stay awake as  
well as take a breath. If he fell asleep, how would he breathe?

But again Will's voice was right there, providing an anchor against  
his panic. "Go to sleep, Sweetheart. It'll be all right. I  
promise. Shhhh. Don't fight it, you'll feel better when you wake  
up." And the last thing Jonny remembered as he let go of  
consciousness, such as it was, was hearing Will humming softly to  
him, and then Benton's voice joining in. Jonny was surprised; he  
didn't know his father could carry a tune that well, much less  
harmonize with somebody.

Jonny slowly began to wake up again. This time he was very happy to  
realize that he could breathe. He floated in the darkness awhile.  
It was way too much work to open his eyes. He could hear the low  
murmur of voices close by, but it was too hard to try to listen. But  
soon, they were intruding on him, and he really just wished they  
would go away. But they didn't, and he soon began to make out the  
words.

"How is he?" Will was asking someone.

"Better," Benton's voice became audible. "Still asleep. What about  
Rae?" Jonny thought his dad sounded really tired.

"She's fine. Mrs. Evans says she's being perfect, and that Race,  
Jessie and Hadji are wonderful with her; AND I checked with the  
agents in charge of security here at the hospital, and they assured  
me everything is fine." Will's voice became insistent. "Now what  
about Jonny?"

What about me? Jonny thought. Why are they talking like I'm not  
here? He thought he should open his eyes, but it still seemed too  
hard.

Benton replied, "Physically much better. He's off the respirator and  
breathing on his own."

Jonny thought he heard a relieved sigh from Will. Now what was that  
all about?

Benton continued. "They've started to bring him around." He paused,  
then continued. "But the Psychiatrist doesn't know how long Andrea  
Lainer has been working on him, or too what extent. But I think you  
and I both have a pretty good idea." Benton said bitterly, clearly  
discouraged. "I should have told him years ago," he finished,  
dispiritedly.

What? Told me what? Jonny thought to himself, but then decided he  
really didn't care. It was too nice just to float.

"He'll be all right, Benton," Will was saying. "You sleep. I'll  
watch him."

Benton again. "I want to be here when he wakes up."

"Fine, sleep on the couch in here, but just sleep!"

Benton laughed. "Ok, ok."

Jonny could hear the creak of furniture, as though someone was  
settling down, then didn't hear anything for a while. He finally  
decided that maybe he'd better say something, and drew in a deep  
breath as though to speak. It seemed that was a very bad idea,  
because his chest suddenly burned, and his breath caught at the  
unexpected severe pain.

Immediately, he felt a hand on his cheek. "Shhh, Jonny." Will's  
comforting voice again. "Go back to sleep. You don't have to wake  
up yet. It's all right. Sleep. Shhh."

Jonny thought that sounded like an excellent idea, and dropped off to  
sleep feeling a feather light kiss on his forehead.

Jonny woke up the next time to the feeling of his hand being lightly  
stroked. He opened his eyes and looked towards that direction. Will  
was next to him, lightly caressing his hand, smiling at him as she  
realized he was awake.

"Hi!" Will commented with a grin, and she gently squeezed his hand.

"Hi," Jonny croaked back, trying to find his voice.

"How do you feel?" Will asked compassionately.

"Fuzzy," Jonny whispered, desperately trying to clear his head,  
something was wrong and he just couldn't quite get it.

Will laughed and reached up, brushing the limp hair out of his eyes  
gently. "I'm sure. You've been out of it for quite awhile." She  
continued at his quizzical look. "You've been very heavily  
sedated." She grinned wider. "I thought we might have to sedate  
your father as well, he was SO worried."

Jonny tried to laugh, then instantly decided that that was not a good  
idea. Then he remembered that he had been incredibly awful to her,  
but couldn't quite remember why. His expression changed to one of  
wariness.

Will noted both his change of expression and his discomfort. "It's  
okay, I'm not mad at you, Sweetheart. I promise. Neither is your  
father," Will commented quietly, kindly, as she squeezed his hand  
again. "I'll explain later, but right now would you like a drink?"  
She was gratified to see Jonny relax at her comments.

Jonny nodded, trying as much as possible not to move.

Will laid his hand back down on the blankets, and moved to sit next  
to him on the bed. She slid an arm under his shoulders and sat him  
upright. Jonny was appalled to realize that he was so weak, he  
couldn't even help her. If she hadn't been supporting him, he  
wouldn't have been able to sit up at all! What on earth had happened?

As Will supported Jonny with one arm against her shoulder, she turned  
and with the other hand, placed a straw in a glass sitting on the  
nearby table, then held it to Jonny's lips.

"Just a sip," she warned him. "I don't really want to wear it!"

Jonny snorted, then instantly regretted it.

"You haven't had anything in your stomach for 3 days," she continued.

Jonny obediently took a sip, and savoring the cool sensation down  
this throat. "Than why aren't I more thirsty?" he softly whispered  
in reply, trying to avoid as much discomfort as he could. He hadn't  
eaten in 3 days? He wondered again what could possibly have happened.

"Another," Will instructed him. As Jonny obediently took another  
sip, she nodded towards the IV tubing that Jonny noticed for the  
first time. "They've been pumping fluids into you at a great rate.  
You may not need the hydration, but I'm sure it's making your throat  
feel better!"

Jonny nodded gratefully, and took another sip. Savoring the liquid,  
he noticed his father stretched out on a couch on the opposite side  
of the room.

"Ok, enough for now. I'll let you have some more in a little bit.  
Let's just make sure your system can handle what you've had."

Jonny nodded heartfelt agreement. The thought of throwing up right  
now made him shudder.

Will carefully laid him back onto his pillows. Jonny collapsed  
weakly back onto the bed. He began to frame a question about what  
had happened, and where he was, but as Will gently pulled the covers  
back up around him, she began to laugh softly, her mind clearly on  
something else.

"Remember our first meeting?"

Jonny nodded slightly, puzzled. He did remember that.

Will grinned. "I think this time your father would approve of the  
beverage choice. At least this time it was water, rather than a coke  
and M&Ms!"

Jonny laughed carefully.

A deep baritone voice with just a hint of a chuckle joined in before  
Jonny could respond. "Coke and M&M's? And when was this?" Benton  
joined them, looking tired, but smiling. Jonny remembered that his  
father was mad at him for some reason. But Benton just leaned over  
and smiled reassuringly in response to Jonny's wary statement, as he  
felt his son's forehead.

Will answered his question. "My first meeting with Jonny. At I-1  
headquarters." Benton looked blank, as he pushed Will off her chair,  
sat down, and pulled her back onto his lap.

Jonny licked his lips, and deciding that his father didn't `seem'  
mad, whispered carefully, "I was about six." Funny, he could  
remember that, just nothing recently.

Benton laughed. "Race never told me."

Will snorted. "Of course not. He'd lost Jonny. When he located  
him, he discovered that I had found him, and fed him caffeine and  
chocolate. Do you really think he'd admit to any of that?"

Benton laughed out loud, and Jonny grinned in spite of himself.  
Benton's determination that his sons eat right was pretty  
strong. "I'd always wondered why Jonny enjoyed visiting I-1 so  
much. I'd always thought it was because of the agents, and that they  
paid so much attention to him, and showed him their weapons."

"Dad, what happened?" Jonny changed the subject to the question  
uppermost on his mind. While both Will and Benton didn't seem  
inclined to scold him, he thought he'd better find out.

Benton answered easily. "You turned out to have a severe allergic  
reaction to I-1's latest knockout gas, for one thing. You stopped  
breathing, and have been on a respirator; that's why your throat is  
so sore."

Will laughed. "You should have seen Phil Corvin's expression when  
Race laid into him about the new gas formula. When Phil realized  
what it had done to you, he about dropped."

Benton continued, "You were fighting the respirator, so we had to  
sedate you pretty heavily until the reaction ran its course. You're  
fine now, but you'll feel pretty lousy for a week or so."

Jonny shook his head in frustration. He was really tired, and it was  
getting harder to think. There was something else, he knew there  
was. Then he had it! All his memories came back in a flood. He  
tried to speak, found he couldn't, then tried again more slowly. He  
was still finding it hard to talk, and deep breathing could be a  
chore. "No," he managed to croak, "What about Mom?" He figured they  
knew by now. And where was she?

Will closed her eyes in pain, and Benton reached over to grab Jonny's  
hand. "Oh, Jonny, that `woman' wasn't Rachel. Her name is Dr.  
Andrea Veronica Rose Lainer."

"No!" Jonny whispered emphatically, shaking his head, denying what  
his father was saying. It wasn't true.

Benton squeezed Jonny's hand. "I may never forgive myself for not  
telling you about her sooner. She was a colleague of mine at I-1  
back when you're mother was alive. She was brilliant. She has  
advanced degrees in several of the sciences and other fields as well,  
including one in Psychology, and interestingly enough, Theater. She  
has always been a master of manipulation. Many years ago, Phil  
Corvin realized that she was becoming a problem, and had her  
hospitalized for evaluation. Unfortunately, that showed that she was  
completely unstable mentally. He tried very hard to keep her under  
wraps, however, he wasn't able to keep hold of her. After you're  
mother died, she had surgery done to enable herself to become  
Rachel's double."

Jonny shook his head violently, sparking another coughing fit. "No,  
you're lying. She said she was in a coma," he whispered vehemently.

Benton shook his head sadly. He hated destroying his son's  
hope. "She kidnapped you when you were seven. You remember? The  
sail boat?" At Jonny's brief nod, he continued. "I couldn't tell  
you then. You were having such a hard time dealing with Rachel's  
death. Both Race and I were relieved that you hadn't seen her.  
There never was a good time to tell you."

"But Son, in the past, she has been mainly interested in me. She  
seems to feel that we were soul mates, meant to be together from the  
beginning of time. She felt we were the next evolutionary jump. I  
don't know why she went through this charade now, but back when you  
were seven, she thought you might be the next generation in the  
evolution. Anyway, she was supposed to be under wraps at I-1. It  
appears," he added bitterly, "that the news that she was loose was  
lost somewhere on someone's desk. We should have been alerted  
immediately."

Jonny shook his head again, tears beginning to cloud his  
vision. "No." It made an awful kind of sense. Especially as her  
personality had changed when she was confronted by Will.

"I'm sorry, Son. I wish I could tell you differently," Benton said  
compassionately, stroking his forehead.

Jonny digested this for a while in silence. Then a thought struck  
him. "Dad," he whispered slowly, "If this is true, then did she kill  
Mom?"

Will could see the pain on Jonny's face. For the only time she could  
remember, she cursed the fact that Jonny was blessed with his  
father's quick intelligence. She would have loved to spare him  
this. From the look on Benton's face, he felt the same way.

Benton suddenly looked very tired and squeezed his son's hand hard,  
glad of the contact. "I don't know Son. But yes, it is a definite  
possibility. It fits the circumstances."

Jonny nodded slowly, digesting all this. He hated realizing the fact  
that he had probably been used. He sure had fallen for it hook, line  
and sinker. He tried to bite back the sobs that were building.

His father voice broke in gently. "Go to sleep Son, we'll talk more  
later."

Jonny obediently closed his eyes, he was really tired. But his  
thoughts whirled in circles, fitting the pieces together, over the  
pain and disillusionment.

Chapter Sixteen

Race hung up the phone and closed his eyes momentarily in relief. He  
sighed deeply.

"Dad? What is it?" The voice of his daughter broke his reverie  
tentatively.

Race turned to her with a smile. She looked worried. No surprise  
there. They all were.

"That was Benton. Jonny's awake, and talking."

Jessie sighed audibly in relief, and a huge smile lit her face. Race  
grinned back. "When's he coming home?" She asked interestedly.

Race laughed. "Well, it will be awhile yet. He's still far from  
well, and in a lot of pain when he breathes. Right now, he's feeling  
pretty rotten. They'll want to keep him until they are sure that  
he'll be fine, but he appears to be on the mend."

Jessie gave him a quick hug, then stated as she darted away, "I  
gotta' go tell Hadji!"

Race laughed, then dropped wearily onto the couch. This was the best  
news he'd heard in a long, long time. And Benton had sounded good.  
Race had been as worried about him as he'd been about Jonny. Benton  
had been so guilty about how angry he had gotten with Jonny that  
night. Race reflected on that scene. It had certainly been  
memorable.

Benton had been controlling himself as they had gone out onto the  
patio for dinner that night. Race had done his best to act normally,  
and Hadji and Jessie nervously followed his lead, and tried to be as  
inconspicuous as possible. Race had done his best to occupy Rae, as  
she was getting fussy with the palpable tension in the air.

Will appeared a moment or two after the rest had fixed their plates  
and were beginning to eat. Well, pick at their food was a more apt  
description. Poor Mrs. Evans. It had looked like an excellent  
dinner. Will had fixed a plate, and surprisingly, headed for the  
door.

"Where are you going?" Benton asked, a conspicuous edge still  
apparent in his voice.

"I'm taking Jonny his dinner," was Will's calm reply. Jessie and  
Hadji just looked at her in amazement. Benton so seldomly lost his  
temper that it was a momentous occasion when he did, and generally  
the family lay low when it happened. And with Jonny behaving so  
badly, anything was likely to set him off. Will, however, looked  
completely uncowed.

"No!" Benton snapped. "Jonny is being punished. You are not to  
interfere."

"Benton, no matter what the punishment is, starving him is not going  
to accomplish anything except destroy his health!" Will pointed out.

Race reflected that Jessie and Hadji looked as though they were  
watching a tennis match, looking first at one, then the other. None  
of them would have tangled with Benton in this mood.

Dr. Quest nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, you're right." Like  
quicksilver his mood changed back again. "But you owe Jonny no  
kindness at all. He has treated you abominably lately. I'll have  
Jessie or Hadji take him up a tray later. Let him think about his  
behavior for awhile," he finished decisively.

Will looked at him for a second as though she wanted to argue  
further, but picked up Race's quick shake of his head and commented  
instead, "All right. Please excuse me. I'm not hungry, I'm going to  
go for a walk on the beach." Will just wanted out of this  
atmosphere, and another walk seemed like a very good idea.

Benton looked mutinous, but Race murmured quietly to him, "Let her  
go." Benton looked at him quickly, then took a deep breath,  
obviously calming himself deliberately.

The atmosphere was definitely more relaxed when Will reappeared  
nearly an hour and a half later. The group was laughing at Rae's  
antics. She was definitely going to be a ham.

Benton got up and went to her immediately. "Will, I'm so sorry for  
what happened," he began desperately.

Will put a finger to his lips, and whispered, "Shhh. Don't say it.  
This is between Jonny and I. You need to stay out of it."

Benton shook his head. "No. I didn't raise Jonny to act in such a  
manner, ever. He needs to apologize, and sooner rather than later,"  
he finished resolutely.

"Benton, no!" Will answered just as firmly. "I won't be the cause  
of you becoming estranged with your son!"

Benton drew in his voice to reply, his temper obviously beginning to  
boil. Hadji and Jessie just looked at each other wordlessly and  
retreated out of the battle range.

Race made a `T' with his hands and announced, "Time!" before the  
situation could escalate into the immovable object meets the  
irresistible force.

The two combatants paused and looked at him. "Both of you calm down,  
and Will, get something to eat."

Will shrugged and commented as she moved towards the table, "I may as  
well. I can't talk to Jonny until he gets back anyway."

"Back?" Race asked in disbelief, exchanging a look with Benton. As  
far as they knew, Jonny was up in his room.

"Uh-humm," Will commented, helping herself to a salad. "He's up on  
the bluff, quite a ways south of here. You know the one he likes."

"No. There is no way you could have seen him," Benton stated  
firmly. "He's up in his room."

"Nope." Will shook her head. "I saw him, clearly. Standing up on  
the bluff talking to someone I didn't recognize."

Benton didn't say another word; he looked at her for a moment, the  
anger simmering at the surface clearly beginning to boil once again,  
then spun on his heel and headed into the house. They could hear him  
taking the stairs two at a time, then the sound of a door slamming.

"Race!" Benton called as he came running down the stairs. Will and  
Race looked at each other, then headed for the door as Benton  
barreled through it. He looked furious. "He's gone."

"IRIS, Jonny Quest's whereabouts," Will called to the computer.

"Jonathan Quest has left the grounds," the disembodied voice replied.

"How long ago," Benton snarled.

"One hour, six minutes ago."

Race put a calming hand on Benton's shoulder. "Queue up the sequence  
in the family room," he directed, as he steered a seething Benton in  
that direction.

The image was clear enough, as the family gathered around and watched  
Jonny climbing down the side of the house, head across the front  
lawn, and down the main drive. The cameras picked him up again as he  
exited the main gate, and paused while a car drove up. Jonny was in  
it before it had even reached a stop, and then it sped off.

There was a stunned silence for a moment. "Who did he meet?" Will  
asked in concern, and Benton just watched the screen in silent anger,  
his arms crossed over his chest.

"He's grounded for life," Benton muttered.

Hadji spoke up quietly. "I have another question. IRIS. Show Jonny  
just before he exits the gate. Zoom in please."

IRIS obligingly zoomed close as Jonny exited the small pedestrian  
gate set in the gatepost to the side of the driveway. This time,  
they all saw clearly as the object fell from his pocket as he bumped  
the side of the gatepost.

"I'll go get it," Jessie volunteered instantly, glad to be out of the  
tense atmosphere. She darted out of the room, and they all heard a  
motorcycle start up. She was back momentarily, holding a small pager.

Race took the object. "Humm. It's a voice message pager," he  
commented. "Cutting edge, too. And it's not one of ours!"

Benton's angry façade began to crack for the first time as he picked  
the pager up. "You're right. It isn't one of ours. I wonder where  
he got it."

"And why," Will added.

Benton took the pager and headed for the computer in the corner of  
the room. Fishing in the drawer, he found a small cable that fit the  
devices output, and plugged it into the computer. "IRIS, display the  
latest messages on the large screen TV," he instructed.

When the messages began to scroll onto the screen, the entire group  
watched in stunned silence. Race went cold. How could this have  
happened? He was going to have Phil Corvin's head. He and Will  
looked at each other in understanding. Benton looked like he was  
going to be physically ill.

"I'll go get the weapons," Will said succinctly, and headed for the  
workroom and the gun safe.

"Andrea Lainer," Benton whispered brokenly. "Dear God, I thought she  
had been taken care of."

"Yes," Race replied quietly, "me too," he added, looking at the  
scientist in concern. Benton looked like he was about to  
collapse. "Benton, go get the car. We know where they are. We'll  
get there in time."

Benton just nodded, looking as though he was inhabiting his own  
private hell, and headed for the garage.

"Dad," Jessie tentatively broke into his reverie as Benton exited the  
room. "Rachel's alive?" she asked in disbelief.

"No, she is not alive. But this is essentially Rachel's evil twin,  
and Jonny obviously thinks she's Rachel."

"But," Hadji began. Race cut him off. "Later. I don't think we  
have much time. You two stay here with Rae and Mrs. Evans. Stay out  
of range of the windows. DON'T let anyone in. IRIS, full level five  
security lock down."

"Implemented." IRIS's response was immediate.

Race turned back to the two mutinous teenagers. "And DON'T get any  
bright ideas about following us," he added forcefully.

Hadji and Jessie took one look at Race and did as they were told.  
They didn't know what was going on, but it wasn't good, and they  
hadn't seen Race or Dr. Quest like this very often.

Race, Will and Benton had raced to the bluff in silence, each lost in  
their own disturbing thoughts, putting pieces together from the last  
few weeks. Certain incidents had taken on a new light, and the  
results were not pleasant. They readied themselves for the grim  
confrontation ahead. It was not going to be easy or pleasant. Jonny  
was not going to be very willing to hear the truth, and Dr. Andrea  
Veronica Rose Lanier had had him under her thumb for far too long.

Race shuddered to himself as he recalled that scene. That woman had  
a great deal to answer for. Jonny had finally managed to put his  
mother's death behind him, and had been doing well with Will. Now,  
the kid didn't know whether he was coming or going. Who knew what  
Andrea had fed Jonny about his family. And Jonny would have believed  
all of it, believing that she was his mother. This was definitely  
going to take awhile to sort out, but they were all survivors. And  
Will wasn't going to let go of either Jonny or Benton without a  
fight. None of them would.

Chapter Seventeen

Jonny woke up slowly, in the cool dimness of night. He could see a  
figure standing silhouetted against the gray-black light from the  
window, gazing out. He must have made some kind of sound because the  
figure immediately turned and moved towards him, revealing itself to  
be his father.

As Jonny realized who it was, the enormity of everything that had  
happened came crashing down on him yet again in a depressing wave.  
He was in a hospital. That was bad enough. But his father had every  
right to hate him, and his mother . . . Well, he really didn't want  
to go there. Jonny closed his eyes and moaned softly, hoping to  
slide back into oblivion.

He felt his father's hand smoothing his hair, then gently pulling  
another blanket up over him to ward off the chill of the night.  
Jonny didn't think it would help much. He was cold to the bone, and  
seriously doubted he'd ever feel warm again. He heard his father  
pull a chair up next to the bed and sit down. Benton laid his hand  
on the back of his son's neck, kneading the tight muscles lightly,  
sharing in Jonny's abject misery.

"I know, Son. It's rotten," Benton's deep, calm voice came gently  
out of the dark. "I would do anything I could to undo what she did  
to you, and I would do anything to truly bring your mother back. She  
loved you so much. Just as I do, and always have, regardless of  
whatever Andrea Lainer may have told you."

Jonny lay there in silence, not moving a muscle. Frankly, it hurt to  
bad. Tears slid from under his closed eyelids, seeping into the  
crisp cotton of the pillowcase under his cheek. His whole body  
ached, and it hurt so much just to breathe. He wondered if it was  
really worth the effort. But that was nothing to the fact that his  
mother, or the woman he thought was his mother, wasn't. And  
everything she'd said to him was a lie. Well, almost everything.  
But it was so hard to know which was which. Jonny was so confused,  
and it hurt to even think about it. He was just so very tired.

The tears continued their slow momentum as Jonny thought of all the  
things he had told her in turn. His fears. His worries. All the  
small and large hurts and doubts, the petty comments he'd made about  
people and places. Things he had meant, and other that he hadn't  
really. And she'd just been using him. Jonny didn't want to trust  
anyone, ever, ever again. They just betrayed you.

But Benton's soothing voice wouldn't let Jonny go, just as Will's had  
kept him anchored earlier. And through his heartache and misery, he  
could hear the abiding love in his fathers every tone, as Benton  
continued talking softly to him. "I love you son. Nothing can take  
that away. I love you so much. I love Will and Rae too, but no one  
can ever take the place of you and Rachel. We can add people in our  
lives, but nothing ever replaces someone we love. I'm not perfect,  
and certainly not a perfect father, far from it, but I promise, I'm  
here for you. I'll never, ever leave you, or let you go. I promise."

Jonny slid back to sleep, listening to this mantra, and feeling his  
father's hand gently massaging his neck and shoulders, as though he  
were loath to let the physical connection go.

Chapter Eighteen

Will walked into the cool, dim private room off the farthest hall in  
the pediatric wing of the hospital. She reflected that there were  
definite advantages to having an instantly recognizable and famous  
name. Jonny's room was off the beaten track, easily protected, and  
most remarkably for a hospital, quiet. And probably very expensive,  
not that cost was an issue.

The privacy curtain was pulled, blocking the view of the bed from the  
doorway, but she could see the couch along the wall perpendicular to  
the door. Benton was seated diagonally on it, leaning into the  
corner, his feet on the table in front of him, obviously far away in  
thought as he looked pensively in his son's direction. He hadn't  
even heard her come in. She quietly set her burden on the table next  
to the couch and looked towards the bed.

Jonny looked somewhat better. The drawn look on his face was gone,  
but he was still ashen, and the dark circles under his eyes were  
readily apparent. Both Benton and the doctors were concerned about  
him. His recovery was far slower than had been expected. He just  
wasn't bouncing back, and it was becoming a serious issue.

At least he was sleeping soundly. He lay on his side facing the  
window, deeply asleep, comfortably ensconced with several pillows,  
cool looking sheets and a light cotton blanket. After the warmth of  
the afternoon, the cool temperature and defused light of the room was  
welcome. Jonny looked comfortable, even with the oxygen and IV  
tubing trailing around him.

Benton looked up suddenly, startled. Will smiled at him. "Hi, you  
looked far, far away."

He smiled sheepishly, and held out a hand to her. Frankly, Will  
thought as she took it, and let him draw her down next to him, he  
didn't look much better than his son. Will settled into the wedge-  
shaped gap between him and the back of the couch, and gently traced  
his jaw line with her finger. "You alright?"

He sighed and nodded, then commented, changing the subject. "What's  
all this?" he motioned to the stack of bags Will had brought.

She laughed. "Jessie and Hadji wanted to make sure that Jonny  
wouldn't be bored. Let's see, there is a laptop, complete with  
Questworld equipment," she began.

Benton groaned softly. "I'll confiscate that. He doesn't need  
anything even remotely as simulating as Questworld right now!"

Will laughed. "I figured as much. They also sent books, letters,  
magazines, and Hadji's latest computer game. Mrs. Evans sent enough  
food to feed an army. I didn't have the heart to tell her that Jonny  
hasn't been able to handle anything solid yet."

"Oh well, then you and I can eat like royalty," Benton responded with  
a quiet chuckle.

"And how is our patient today?" Will asked. "He looks a little  
better." She reflected that frankly anything would have been an  
improvement.

Benton smiled worriedly. "Some. He's still incredibly weak, but his  
breathing is getting easier. His doctors still want him on oxygen,  
and to keep very quiet. That's not too much of an issue right now.  
All he wants to do is sleep." He paused. "However, the main concern  
now is his slowness to recover. But, he is stable at least, and no  
longer in any immediate danger."

Will gave a relieved sigh. "Staying away from the hospital last  
night was one of the hardest things I ever did. I would have much  
rather been here."

"I know, but you really needed the sleep, and Rae needed you."

"But you needed me too, and so did Jonny. Now what about you?" Will  
returned to the earlier subject. "And don't put me off, Benton, you  
looked light years away when I walked in, and I know for a fact that  
you aren't getting any sleep either."

Benton thought a moment, then looked suddenly at Will. "I'm  
unbelievably ashamed at myself, to tell you the truth. I should have  
known something was going on."

Will began to protest, but Benton hushed her with a finger to her  
lips. "It's true," he continued softly. "I've been so fragmented.  
I've been terrified for you; you've been so frail, and worried about  
Rae. It took so long to find out she was lactose intolerant and she  
was weighing next to nothing. Then with work, well, frankly, I've  
been torn in too many different ways, and unfortunately, Jonny lost.  
I never seemed to have time for him when he needed me. Then he just  
stopped asking, and I didn't even wonder why." Benton sighed heavily.

Will kept quiet, letting Benton talk himself out. She snuggled in  
closer next to him, trying to at least provide creature comfort.

"You and Jonny had been doing so much better," Benton continued, "I  
just thought everything was okay. I expected some adjustment, but  
then his behavior just deteriorated to such an unbelievable degree so  
quickly, I just got mad, and, once again, couldn't be bothered to ask  
why. I dealt with the symptoms, not the cause," he finished in self-  
loathing.

Will sighed. "And Jonny's young enough not to know how to put into  
words what he's been feeling."

Benton nodded sadly. "I provided a beautifully fertile field for  
Andrea Lainer. Do you have any idea what it's like to have Jonny  
wake up and ask where `Mom' is? I don't know what's worse-that, or  
when he wakes up and realizes what has actually happened."

"Has Jonny told you about anything she said?" Will asked.

"A little. He's still very groggy. But what he has said is  
chilling. As always, Andrea was masterful in what she did. She  
always kept very close to the truth as much as possible, from what  
I've been able to gather. It appears that she'd take an incident of  
a comment I'd actually made, then would twist it somehow to  
corroborate the image of me she was perpetuating. It would be close  
enough to the truth to make sense, but from anybody else, Jonny would  
have just shrugged it off. However, these comments were coming  
from `Rachel', and since she was physically present, and obviously  
alive, the only logical conclusion Jonny could possibly come to was  
that she was right, and I had been lying. Then she'd allow Jonny's  
own mind to do the rest, carefully and methodically directing him  
towards the conclusions she wanted him to reach with a word or  
comment here and there." Benton paused dejectedly, then continued,  
obviously depressed. "Do you know what he asked me last night?"

Will just shook her head slightly. "What?" she prompted quietly.  
Benton was talking almost compulsively, he was so disturbed.

"He was very groggy. Enough in fact, that he wasn't thinking about  
his words carefully, and he was pretty blunt. He asked why Rae had  
all kinds of `stuff', cribs, bassinettes, playpens, etc., in every  
single room in the house, and he had a baby picture where he'd been  
sleeping in a dresser drawer. I remember that picture, and I  
explained that that was the first trip Rachel and Jonny had taken  
with me after his birth. He was just over a month old, and the hotel  
had no cribs available. So we made do, and it worked just fine, and  
we'd gotten such a kick out of it, we took a picture. I also  
explained that when he was born, the kind of portable cribs just  
weren't available the way they are now."

Benton shook his head. "I also tried to tell him how much I loved  
him, and how proud I was of him. But after the last month? And the  
muck I've managed to make of my relationship with him? I don't think  
I got very far in convincing him."

Will's heart went out to her husband. He loved his son so much, this  
was just killing him. "Have you talked to the psychiatrist yet?" she  
asked compassionately.

Benton nodded wearily. "Yes, he wants daily sessions with Jonny  
alone, as soon as he's able. Then to meet with me separately, and  
then me, you, and Race together. He says it will take time to sort  
out, and that Jonny will need patience from all of us."

"Of course." Will agreed, then fell silent for a moment. "Then my  
news isn't going to help much," she added tiredly.

Benton looked surprised, then resigned. "Lay it on me."

"When Race dropped me off today, guess who we should run into in the  
lobby but Phil Corvin himself, coming in to tell us Andrea was on the  
loose again. She got away. Again."

"What!" Benton exclaimed loudly.

Will smacked his arm, reminding him to be quiet, but she was too  
late, the damage was done.

Jonny stirred briefly, then opened his eyes, lifting his head as  
though it weighed the sum of the earth. His gaze found his father  
and Will. "Dad? What's the matter?" His voice was hoarse and  
slurred; his eyes were glazed and missing their usual sparkle.

Will began to get up to go to him, but Benton held her in place as he  
answered his son. "Nothing, Son," his warm baritone was  
soothing. "I'm sorry we woke you. Everything is just fine. Go back  
to sleep. We'll be quiet."

Jonny nodded, and lay his head back down. He was obviously out cold  
again, instantly.

"Now what about Corvin," Benton hissed quietly, after making sure  
Jonny was asleep again.

`Well," Will began rubbing her face tiredly. "They were transporting  
her to I-1 headquarters. They thought the gas had really laid her  
out, much like Jonny, but not as bad. She'd been genuinely in and  
out of consciousness for a while. But from what Phil figures, she  
began faking it after a certain point. She escaped. This morning.  
There isn't much more too it than that. They're sure she's still in  
the Rockport-Portland area. They got roadblocks up immediately.  
Terry requested of Corvin that he be assigned to come help find her.  
He's fit to be tied. He's got a real soft spot for Jonny. Race  
turned right around and went back to the compound instead of coming  
up to see Jonny. He isn't leaving the house, and I'm not to leave  
you and Jonny, and the agents here at the hospital have been alerted."

Benton groaned. "That's all we need right now. Can things get any  
worse?"

Will just muttered, "Don't even think that."

Chapter Nineteen

Jonny was standing with his mother at the top of the bluff. The sun  
was shining, the afternoon was mild, and the Atlantic Ocean was  
brilliant with diamond-like sparkles in the light. Jonny drank in  
the moment, happy to be alive.

Rachel smiled, enjoying the moment with her son. Her gray-blue eyes  
were bright, and her face relaxed. "Honey?"

"Yeah, Mom?" Jonny turned from tossing a pebble out over the high  
bluff, and looked at her, beaming his lopsided grin.

She smiled back, and held out her arms. Jonny laughed and hugged her  
happily.

His joy turned to stark terror when she began to push him over the  
cliff's edge. "Mom!" He shouted in terror.

His fear doubled as her face suddenly became that of Will's, scowling  
at him. "Get out of my life, you miserable brat! You're nothing but  
trouble. Whining and sniveling, always wanting your own way."

Jonny scrambled, trying to fight back as he was maneuvered inexorably  
towards the edge. Looking down, he could see the waves breaking  
angrily on the rocky shore below, smashing against the cliff side in  
a torrent of foam as the sea turned a dark, forbidding gray, and the  
light from the lovely summer afternoon faded into an angry clouded  
sky.

Jonny looked back at Will in terror, the wind whipping his hair and  
clothes. Now it was his mother again, an odd light in her  
eyes. "You should have died. Not me. Everything is always about  
you. You're always in the way. Your not smart enough, or good  
enough to live. Better if you're out of the way. Rae will be more  
like Benton than you!"

"Here, let me help. It will get him out of my way, and out of my  
life, once and for all!"

Jonny stared in horror as his father moved up besides his mother,  
who's face seemed to be alternating between Rachel's and Will's.  
Grasping Jonny firmly by the shoulders he pushed him out over the  
brink. "Dad, no!"

Still alternating between Rachel and Will's face, Benton's wife  
stepped back wiping her hands distastefully on her jeans as though  
she had been touching something foul. "Thank you, darling."

"My pleasure, my dear," Benton's cool baritone purred smoothly in  
reply.

"Jonny." His father's voice was suddenly different, stronger.

"Quit struggling." Benton said, the chilling purr was back again, "It  
will be over soon."

Jonny fought his father's hands, desperately trying to get  
loose. "No! Let me GO!"

"Jonny!" Benton's tone had changed again. Jonny was crying in  
frustration and fear now, vainly trying to free himself. "Jonny,  
come on Son. Calm down!"

Suddenly, Jonny found himself far away from the cliff face, and in  
his own dark room at home, fighting his father who was trying to  
quiet him. Still crying and gasping for breath, he realized Benton  
was holding him tightly to his chest with one hand around his back,  
and the other pressing Jonny's face to his shoulder. Jonny collapsed  
suddenly, sobbing, onto his father's chest as he finally woke up  
enough to realize he'd been having a nightmare. His fingers twined  
tightly into the fabric of Benton's robe as though he were afraid if  
he let go, he'd fall back into the nightmare. Benton felt his heart  
constrict at his son's action. Jonny hadn't done that since he was  
very small, and then only when he was extremely upset or frightened.

Benton kept murmuring to his son, the words finally penetrating and  
slowly disseminating Jonny's dream world, "It's okay Jonny, it's just  
a dream. You're at home. I'm right here, Son, shhh," the litany  
continued, over and over, slowing quieting Jonny's heartbreaking  
sobs. Benton stroked his hair gently.

Benton looked up at a light touch on his shoulder. Will looked  
compassionately at him. "I'm going to get the medication. I'll be  
back in a few minutes."

Benton, never breaking his quiet words to his son, nodded gratefully.

Will headed back to the suite she shared with her husband, running  
into Race on the way. He had heard the activity and come up to see  
if there was something he could do to help. She assured him that  
they were okay, and would he please look in on Rae. He agreed, and  
said he was going to look in on Jessie and Hadji as well. Reassured  
about the other members of the family, Will continued on her errand.

Once in her room, in a corner of the bedroom, she collected a couple  
of heating pads, Benton's stethoscope, and one of the syringes that  
was set out, already drawn and waiting. From there, she headed back  
to Jonny's room, simmering fury. Dr. Andrea Veronica Rose Lainer  
would pay dearly for this.

Three nights now. Each night since Jonny had come home, he'd been  
having truly horrible nightmares. They had really debated whether to  
bring him home or not. But with Dr. Lanier on the loose again, Race  
and Will just didn't feel they could protect him as well in the  
hospital. And giving into Jonny's demands and telling him what was  
happening, in retrospect, had been a very bad idea. He didn't say  
it, but he was terrified. The nightmares were certainly proving it.

And the nightmares then in turn would set off breathing  
problems. `Keep him quiet' the doctor had told them. `No stress,  
he'll need time to heal, we don't want to set off anxiety attacks'.  
Yeah, right. After the mind games that woman had played with him, he  
had absolutely no peace. There was no way he could relax. And any  
stress caused his breathing to quicken painfully. The gas had done a  
real job on him.

Poor Jonny. After each episode he was exhausted, slept for most of  
the next day, was sore and achy, and often ran a fever. So much for  
healing. Then, it would all repeat again the next night. Damm it!  
This just wasn't fair.

Sure enough, when she entered the room, Jonny was gasping for breath,  
and in obvious pain. Benton looked completely traumatized as he  
tried to calm his upset son. It was a vicious circle. The more  
frightened and upset Jonny got, the harder it became for him to  
breathe. They'd found the only way to calm him down was a shot of  
muscle relaxer and a light sedative. That, and heat, which also  
relaxed the tightened muscles. The reaction was almost more  
emotional now than it was physical. But his lungs still weren't  
totally healed, and this certainly wasn't helping the process.

Will got the heating pads set up, and moved to take Jonny from  
Benton. Unfortunately, they were getting very good at this now.  
Will handed Benton the syringe as she detached the gasping boy from  
his father and wrapped her arms tightly around him. He looked at her  
with vague eyes as she began talking soothingly to him. She could  
tell he wasn't really awake enough to understand her, but he did calm  
some at her voice. Will was pleased about that. He'd responded to  
her well at the hospital, which went to show that no matter how much  
Andrea had eroded of Jonny's trust, she hadn't erased all the strides  
Will had made with her youngest and most emotional stepson.

Jonny moaned slightly, his head lying tiredly on her shoulder, as  
Benton injected the contents of the syringe into his upper arm. But  
he did begin to relax almost immediately. After a few moments his  
breathing began to ease, and he slipped into a light doze. He  
stirred at the cold touch of the stethoscope as Benton checked his  
lungs, but quickly dropped off once again as his father finished.  
Once Benton was satisfied that this particular episode was over, and  
that Jonny was breathing normally again, he and Will settled the boy  
on his side, and arranged the heating pads on his chest and back.  
Benton covered him carefully, noting with relief the regular rhythm  
of his breathing. He then joined Will at the window.

He gathered her tiredly in his arms and settled back onto the seat of  
the bay window, where he could still see Jonny, and snuggled her  
close.

"I can think of several different manners in which I would like to  
dispose of Dr. Lainer," Will stated calmly, leaving back against her  
husband.

"Really," Benton allowed, nuzzling her hair as the adrenaline drained  
from his system. Between Rae's feeding schedule and Jonny's  
nightmares, neither of them was getting much sleep, and that was an  
understatement.

"Uhmm-hum. Fifty ways to kill a person with a hairpin. But those  
are too quick. Drawing and quartering is more to my taste."

"Oh, bloodthirsty. Flaying? Stoning? Burned at the stake?  
Anything remotely similar to what they used for witches?" Benton  
suggested with a weary grin.

"Those are all good. She's a witch all right." Will leaned back  
against him. "Poor Jonny. He doesn't deserve this," she sighed.

"No," Benton agreed, tightening his arms around her. "Go back to  
bed, Rag Doll. I'll stay with him," he whispered into her hair,  
kissing her lightly.

She made a wordless sound of protest.

"Really. I just need to be with him tonight," he said, the  
exhaustion evident in his voice.

She hesitated a moment longer, and he urged, "Go on. I'll sleep  
here, in the chair." Benton gestured towards the armchair.

She nodded and kissed him deeply. He laughed softly and shoed her  
out of the room.

Will looked back as she exited the room. Jonny was deeply asleep,  
clearly under the influence of the medication. Jonny had been living  
in his own private nightmare, no doubt about that. That the bitch  
had intentionally messed with a young adolescent's mind, and in a  
manner most designed to inflict pain infuriated Will. It had to be  
the true definition of evil. That the boy was Will's stepson  
absolutely sent her over the edge.

And frankly, she was worried about Benton. He didn't look all that  
much better. He could hardly bear to leave Jonny alone, terrified  
that he'd lose him. He almost had too, right under his own nose, and  
from a place of relative safety. That made the whole situation even  
harder to take. The woman had to pay.

Will shut the door behind her, and leaned against the wall,  
thinking. Neither Jonny, nor Benton for that matter, would get a  
moments peace until Dr. Lainer was found. None of them would. It  
had been 5 days now, and the chances of finding her were becoming  
slim.

Jonny was far too fragile, both emotionally and physically, to be  
able to handle another onslaught by Andrea Lainner right now. And  
truthfully, Will didn't think Benton could either. Will thought a  
bit longer, made a decision, then headed down the stairs, away from  
her suite.

She tapped lightly on Race's door. It opened immediately, and he  
ushered her in.

"I was expecting you," he said with a look that asked why she hadn't  
come earlier.

"Let's go hunting," she said grimly, and was rewarded with a tight,  
unpleasant smile.

"Thought you'd never ask."

Chapter Twenty

"Well, any plan in mind?" Race asked as they sat down in Race's  
sitting room.

"Yes," Will answered grimly. "We still have the pager she gave  
Jonny."

"SHIT!" Race exclaimed, using language he didn't tolerate from any of  
the kids.

Will nodded, "I know. I didn't think of it myself until tonight."

Race shook his head in disgust. "I can't believe I didn't think of  
it! Lots on our minds, I guess," he added with a dry look at  
Will. "Some pair of agents we are."

"You said it. And we could have spared Jonny a whole lot of  
anguish," Will added in frustration.

"Speaking of Jonny," Race said, "How is the kid?"

"Not good. He's just about at the end of his rope, and frankly,  
Benton isn't much better," Will sighed, the concern in her voice  
clearly evident.

"Well, lets get this done, then," he commented, "and the sooner the  
better. DAMMIT!" he snarled, running his hands through his short-  
cropped hair, "I can't believe we forgot about that damn pager. We  
could have set this trap days ago!"

Will sighed agreement. "You go plug the pager into IRIS. Run a  
transcript of all incoming and outgoing messages. Oh, and call  
Corvin and let him know what we're cooking up. I'll get Mrs. Evans  
up here to take care of Rae. Benton's in no shape to handle both an  
infant and a sick kid."

Race nodded, adding, "And I'll get Phil to send a couple of agents  
over here so someone is on site; even with the compound locked down,  
I want to be sure!"

Will nodded in return, and they both headed out their separate  
directions to get dressed, and prepare for the task ahead.

By the time Race and Will had everything taken care of at the  
Compound, the transcripts run and faxed to Corvin, and finally  
entering the hotel room serving as the I-1 headquarters, it was  
nearly dawn.

"How's Jonny doing?" were the first words out of Terry's mouth as he  
handed Race a strong cup of coffee. He did a double take at Will as  
she indicated that she'd like one. Terry just shrugged and handed  
her a mug as well.

"Not good," Will said grimly. "Still very sick from the gas PHIL,"  
she glared pointedly at the senior I-1 agent, who threw up his hands  
in silent defense, "and still uncertain of who's telling him the  
truth, or even what the truth is! He's having horrible nightmares  
and anxiety attacks. And who in HELL," Will continued, her anger  
winding up from the frustration of the last week, "let Dr. Lainer  
keep Rachel's face?" she snarled. "That was a real smooth move. A  
lot of our problems could have been easily prevented by fixing that  
little problem a long time ago!"

"Easy Will," Race muttered. However, Terry thought that the look in  
his eyes didn't look any less dangerous than that in Will's. Wisely,  
he kept silent. Phil, unfortunately, did not.

"Will," he began in concern, conveniently ignoring the last part of  
Will's tirade, "Why isn't Jonny still in the hospital? Sounds like  
he belongs there."

"Security, Phil, security." Race growled. "Or course he should  
still be hospitalized, but we couldn't guarantee his safety there  
with Dr. Lainer's escape. He's much safer under wraps at the  
compound. He was a little better, off the oxygen and beginning to be  
able to keep down solid food, and besides, Benton IS a doctor." He  
shrugged. "So we took the chance. Lesser evil of two bad choices."

Will had thrown up her hands in frustration at Corvin's question and  
stomped off to get some sugar for her coffee as Race explained.  
Terry watched Will loading sugar into the mug until the coffee was  
just turning into a sweet syrup. "That's a really bad idea," he  
commented quietly.

"What?" Race asked, then spotted Will and registered what she was  
doing. "Uh-oh."

"What?" Phil asked puzzled.

"Will, caffeine, and sugar," Terry elaborated.

Corvin furrowed his brow quizzically, clearly beginning to lose  
patience.

"The brat hates coffee," Bannon explained. "Absolutely detests it."

"And sugar winds her up like no tomorrow," Terry elaborated, then  
added almost as an afterthought, "and caffeine affects her almost  
like speed."

Phil's statement of puzzlement turned to one akin to  
apprehensive. "On, no. Someone could get hurt."

"Oh, absolutely," Terry concurred, "Somebody is dead."

"Most definitely," Race agreed. "Manslaughter."

"Well, then its your job to make sure she doesn't kill anyone," Phil  
said sarcastically, with one more apprehensive glance towards the  
female agent. He then changed the subject and got down to  
business. "Thanks for faxing over the transcripts. And how did you  
manage to keep Dr. Quest away? I thought he'd be here for sure,  
hounding us to get hold of Andrea, and wanting in on the kill."

"Easy," Race said, "We didn't tell him. Will left him a note."

Corvin raised his eyebrows and Terry grinned. Race continued  
grimly, "And frankly, he's practically near a breakdown himself. You  
know he was the one who released the gas?"

"SHIT!" Corvin exclaimed explosively. "No! I didn't! How the hell  
did that happen?"

"He thought that both Jonny and Will were in trouble. The brat's  
still not a hundred percent after Rae's birth."

Terry laughed, earning dark looks all around. "But even if she's  
only fifty percent, I still give her excellent odds!"

Race laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, well. Harkness and I have worked  
together enough to be able to work non-verbally. She was getting  
into position to free Jonny. But Benton didn't know that, and he  
thought he was about to lose both of them. He wasn't exactly  
thinking clearly. Neither Will nor I even knew he had it." Race  
shrugged. "It dissipated quickly enough in the breezy conditions so  
only Dr. Lainer and Jonny were affected. So anyway, Benton's on the  
edge right now too. He's terrified for Jonny, and feels guilty about  
the gas and the fact that he nearly killed his own kid, plus  
mortified that he hadn't picked up earlier on that fact that  
something else was going on, other than normal adjustments." Race  
crossed his arms over his chest. "And so do I, honestly. I should  
have been more aware than I was, that's for sure."

"Don't blame it all on yourself, Snow," Will growled as she returned  
to the group. "I'm guilty of that, if not more so."

Corvin looked at her, then quickly looked away. She looked like an  
angry mother bear, and just as frightening. "So, do you have an  
idea?" he asked.

"Yep," Will said succinctly. "Here, at the State Park." She pointed  
to a section on the transcripts that was already highlighted.

Phil nodded. "Yeah . . . Looks good. Easily defensible. Think  
she'll bite?"

"Oh, yeah," Will said firmly. "I do. For one thing, she doesn't  
know Jonny is allergic to the gas formula. She would think it would  
probably just affect him the way it did her. She doesn't know we  
have the pager, either, and frankly, she has enough of an ego to  
believe that even six or seven days later, Jonny will still buy her  
line. Especially if we word the message carefully enough."

Race nodded agreement. "We can hedge our bets that much more if we  
are sure to insert something to the fact that he couldn't get free of  
supervision until now in order to page her."

"Perfect," Terry commented. "Tight."

Will nodded, and continued the thread. "Also, maybe something short  
and quick to the effect that we keep telling him she's not Rachel,  
but he doesn't believe us. Which, unfortunately, isn't that far from  
the truth," she finished with justifiable bitterness.

Corvin nodded slowly. "I think it'll work. Lets get agents into  
position, then send the page when we are set."

There was unanimous agreement, and they set to work.

Chapter Twenty-One

When an exhausted Benton finally opened his eyes again, it was a  
little after dawn, and he was still in the armchair in Jonny's room.  
Scrubbing his face with his hands, he took a quick look at his son.

Jonny was still asleep, but restlessly, as the tangled covers  
indicated. Benton stretched over and laid the back of his hand  
lightly on Jonny's forehead. Clammy, but no fever. That, at least,  
was good news for a change.

Benton noticed that Bandit was absent from the room, and that the  
heating pads were neatly stacked on the window seat. As those facts  
sunk in, he saw the note propped up on the reading table next to  
him. Opening it, he read Will's explanation of what was happening,  
and the security precautions that they had taken, as well as her  
contingencies for Rae.

Benton gave a wordless exclamation of protest. To have Will and Race  
taking on that woman, after everything she'd done was more than he  
wanted to contemplate. Before he could process the ramifications of  
Will's missive further, Jonny interrupted his thoughts.

"Dad? What's the matter?" he slurred. "Dad?" he asked again more  
clearly, struggling to sit up as he registered the look of his  
father's face, his own face pale. "What is it?"

"Jonny, calm down," Benton moved to sit down on the edge of the bed  
next to his son, noting in alarm Jonny's quickening breathing and  
widening eyes.

"No, something's wrong," Jonny whispered desperately as Benton pushed  
him firmly back onto the pillows. "Is she . . ."

"No, no," Benton cut him off. "Now relax and I'll tell you. Breathe  
slowly," he instructed.

He watched as his son made a conscious effort to calm down. Benton  
mentally breathed a sigh of relief as Jonny's breathing slowed back  
to a normal rhythm. "Good," he smiled encouragingly at his son as he  
smoothed the limp hair off Jonny's drawn face. "Will left a note,"  
he began in way of explanation. "She and Race have figured out a way  
to trap Andrea Lainer. No, relax," he instructed as Jonny started to  
show signs of anxiety again. He waited until Jonny had calmed once  
more, then began again. "They're conferring with Phil Corvin and  
Terry, and they are setting the trap with at least a dozen agents in  
place. She also says that neither of us should worry, that they will  
be fine, and back as soon as they can. They've also put the compound  
on alert and assigned a couple of agents here so we will be safe.  
Ok?" He smiled at his son, hiding his own anxiety.

Benton was alarmed to see Jonny's face look even bleaker. "Jonny?  
What's the matter?" he asked in concern.

"Dad, what if . . . what if something happens and they get . . .  
hurt. It'll be my fault," he whispered. "They shouldn't have gone.  
If anything happens . . ."

Benton broke him off mid sentence. "No, nothing will happen. Will  
and Race are highly capable agents, and this is the kind of thing  
they have trained long and hard to do. And Andrea Lainer has been a  
thorn in their side for a very long time now. However, now it's  
personal for both of them. Terry also asked specifically to be  
involved. All of them want you to be safe, and this is their chance  
to make sure. They care about you, son."

Jonny took a shuddering breath. "But, Will must hate me. She  
should. I've been rotten to her. And she's still not very well," he  
broke off, vainly trying to fight back a sob.

Benton smiled at his son and rubbed his shoulder. "No, she's fine  
Jonny, and she doesn't hate you at all. She loves you. She knows  
that you weren't acting on your own. She's angry, yes, but at Andrea  
Lainer, NOT at you. She's angry that she tried to drive a wedge  
between all of us, and used you to do it. She doesn't hate you, she  
loves you, son. A lot."

Jonny just stared at his father, hardly daring to believe that he  
might be right.

"You know what she told me?"

Jonny moistened his lips and whispered, "What?" his eyes riveted on  
his father's face.

"She said that ever since she first met you, when you were very  
small, right after Rachel died, that she had wished that she could  
have a son just like you. The actual you, preferably. And then,  
after the two of us married, and she realized that you were indeed  
going to be her son, she was thrilled. You have no idea how much  
Will loves you. Each of us, as a matter of fact."

"Really?" Jonny asked in disbelief. "After everything I've done?"

"Really," Benton finished with a smile, thinking that he may have  
actually gotten through to Jonny for this subject, finally. "She  
wants Andrea just as badly as Race does, and for the same reason.  
Andrea threatened someone they both care a great deal about-you.  
This is personal for them, Jonny. And its something they want to  
do. Ok? They want you to get better."

Jonny nodded weakly, still looking somewhat dazed.

"Now, are you hungry? Thirsty?" Benton asked.

Jonny shook his head, immediately looking queasy even at the thought  
of food.

"Ok," Benton smiled slightly, hiding his concern. They just hadn't  
been able to get Jonny to eat much at all, and what little he did  
eat, didn't always stay down. He was still losing weight too rapidly  
to suit Benton. "Then go back to sleep. They'll be back before you  
know it, and I'll stay right here with you."

Jonny nodded wearily, even this small amount of talking tiring him  
out. He turned over onto his side, trying vainly to get  
comfortable. It was hard, he ached all over. "Dad? They are going  
to be okay, right?"

"Of course, son," Benton replied emphatically, with more assurance  
than he actually felt. "Are you warm enough?"

"Uh-uh. Cold," Jonny murmured drowsily, already dropping off into an  
uneasy slumber.

"Ok, I'll get you another blanket, " Benton said gently,  
straightening out the bedclothes and tucking them around his son.  
Benton was concerned; he didn't like his son's haunted statement.  
Frankly, the quicker they apprehended Andrea Veronica Rose Lainer,  
the happier he'd be, no doubt about it.

Benton shook out another blanket from the foot of the bed and draped  
it over his sleeping child. Jonny looked so young and fragile right  
now. He sank back into the chair and looked again at the note Will  
had left for him. He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his  
nose against the headache he felt coming on. He was worried, no use  
denying it, despite he reassurances to Jonny. Dr. Lainer had done  
enough damage to his family, let alone consider the added danger to  
his wife and closest friend.

Good god, Will, as his wife, was going to be the first target for  
that deranged woman. Benton thought of his petit, powerhouse of a  
wife, and shuddered to even contemplate life without her. He shied  
away from that thought immediately. He couldn't go there. Not  
twice. Nothing was going to happen. Life just couldn't possibly be  
that unjust.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Will, Race and Corvin sat inside the beat up van looking out at the  
State Park. The outside of the white van was dirty and speckled with  
rust spots. The windows in the back doors were coated with dried  
mud. It didn't really matter; the windows were tinted to hide the  
fact that they were one way. Nobody could see in the inconspicuous  
van. It they had, they would have seen state-of-the-art surveillance  
equipment filling the inside to the roof.

Outside, Terry sat at the picnic table, reading a magazine and  
munching on a sandwich. He was in faded jeans and a cotton shirt. A  
backpack leaned against the van, completing the picture.

All over the park, it was the same song, different verse. The couple  
over at a shelter, having an intimate dinner complete with wine,  
checkered cloth and picnic basket, the 2 RVs parked side by side with  
the 2 middle aged couples laughingly engaged in conversation, the  
bevy of college age young men on a road trip. All were I-1 agents  
specially placed. It was 4:45 pm, a perfect time for lots of  
individuals to be at the park. Target time was at 5pm. It had been  
a scramble to get the props together, but it was done, and everywhere  
weapons were stashed and ready.

The three agents inside the cramped van, along with the agents  
running the equipment waited impatiently. Race waited with cold,  
icily controlled patience. Will shifted impatiently, drumming her  
fingers on any surface available. Idly she poured herself another  
cup of coffee and stirred in 3 heaping teaspoons of sugar.

Race looked at her briefly, saw what she was doing, grinned tightly,  
and returned his attention to the monitors. Phil Corvin looked at  
her uneasily. She looked back at him. "What?!" she snapped.

"Coffee?" Corvin ventured carefully, eyebrows raised. This was her  
4th cup so far.

"What of it?" she glared back.

"Easy Harkness," Race growled. "Save it for the good lady doctor."

Will muttered something inarticulately in return, and the tension  
level inside the van rose to palpable levels as the clock slowly drug  
on towards 5 pm. The time specified in the page.

Then in was 5:01. Then 5:05. "She'll come," Race said  
tightly. "She'll be here."

5:10. All three were beginning to fidget, and doubt was beginning to  
creep in.

"Look sharp!" An agent monitoring from within the van  
exclaimed. "VanWeiss has got someone entering the park!"

Will, Race and Corvin leaned forward as one, in order to better see  
the monitor the young agent was focused on.

"It's her!" Corvin stated in satisfaction. He pulled his headset  
mike closer to his mouth. "Ok people. She's here. Dark brown, beat-  
up Ford Tauraus. Blonde woman entering the picnic area . . . Now.  
Hold until I give the order."

They watched tensely as she drove in slowly looking carefully  
around. After surveying the area minutely, and not finding Jonny,  
she hesitated.

"Ok, Mike. Go!" Corvin commanded tightly. "She's suspicious."

From the farthest shelter, nearest the beach, a slight blond figure  
slipped out, looked for a moment, then waved.

They all could see the woman in the car visibly relax, and wave  
back. Mike, an experienced agent, slight of build and very blond,  
all similarities to Jonny ending there, ducked back into the shelter  
before she got close enough to see him closely.

Dr. Lainer slowly eased the car towards the two sided, roofed  
structure facing away from them, towards the ocean.

"Great thought Phil," Race commented, "using Mike if she got nervous."

"That woman is cagey and smart. Waaayyyy too smart, and I've had to  
deal with her for a long time now," Corvin commented grimly. "She  
doesn't leave anything to chance."

Andrea Lainer parked the car and got out, quickly making her way  
around the shelter.

"Mike . . . NOW!" Phil shouted.

Mike stepped around the corner, Glock up and pointed at Dr. Lainer's  
forehead. "Freeze!" he ordered harshly.

"Everyone, MOVE!" Phil ordered as the three of them piled out of the  
van, Terry joining them as they hit the ground running.

Andrea stopped short at the young blond man in this mid-twenties  
standing coldly holding a cocked gun at her forehead. She took in  
the bright blond hair and slim build, so much like Jonny's. But  
there, she registered, all resemblance ended. The cold, narrowed  
green eyes and 11 to 12 additional years pretty clearly told her  
she'd been had.

Suddenly, she was surrounded, and with several guns on her, turned,  
and was propelled forward towards the white van. Not one to dwell on  
failure, she was already working on her insanity plea which had  
always served her well. Unexpectedly she laughed, seeing the four  
agents running towards her.

"Well, well. You are persistent, aren't you? Hummm. You must have  
gotten the pager," she commented lightly with an appreciative  
smile. "Very good! But really, I can't imagine why you'd bother. I  
mean, really, the boy just isn't worth all the trouble. He isn't  
much," she shrugged dismissively.

Will's face tightened as she thought of Jonny and all he had gone  
through at the hands of this woman, and the steps that still had to  
be made before he was completely healed both mentally and  
physically. And it was becoming clear to all of them that it was  
likely he would bear emotional scars from this encounter for a long  
time.

"Why you bitch!" Will snarled as Race put a restraining hand on her  
shoulder. He thought about all that coffee in alarm.

"Is that the best you can do?" Andrea said incredulessly. "Benton  
MUST have married you for your ability in bed, because he obviously  
didn't marry you for your intellect. Come to think of it, Jonny did  
make a comment about something to that effect. I understand that you  
are very creative, and not all that discreet, either. Jonny doesn't  
think much of you, you know," she said conversationally.

Will's eyes narrowed. "Easy, Harkness," Race whispered. "You know  
that isn't true."

"Well, no shit, Sherlock," Will muttered in response, all the while  
keeping her narrowed eyes fixed on the slim, smiling blond woman in  
front of her. "I'm NOT that stupid. I don't believe ANYTHING this  
woman says," she hissed.

"Worried?" Andrea commented with a smile, noting the whispered  
exchange.

Will snorted at the thought. "Certainly not of you!" she said with a  
humorless laugh.

"You know, you two should have taken better care of Benton's little  
bastard. He is SO gullible. I had more fun than I've had in years,  
in our little meetings. Afterwards I would laugh until I cried."  
She giggled, then smiled at the quick flush on both Race's and Will's  
faces.

"It really was the perfect plan, you know," Andrea continued,  
delighting in their veiled expressions of outrage and  
disgust. "Jonny was coming with me willingly; completely of his own  
accord. And I was able to get him completely under my thumb in so  
much less time than I thought it would take. He really is far too  
trusting. Race, you really have fallen down on your job, do you know  
that? I thought that you weren't only suppose to protect him, but  
teach him to defend himself. You didn't manage either very well,"  
She dismissed the thought, and continued with her original topic, as  
Will put a steadying hand on Race's suddenly tightened shoulder.

"He would have been my ally in evading you and your small army. The  
best of it was that while I had the brat, Benton would have been at  
my disposal, totally at my beck and call. And with Jonny not wanting  
anything to do with his father, and believing implicitly anything I  
told him, I had it made! The new discoveries Dr. Quest and I could  
have made. The brilliant children we could have had." She sighed at  
the loss of her dream, then shot a look at Will. "You do have a way  
of ruining everything, you know that?"

Will gave a tight smile. "Glad to oblige."

Terry just shook his head. This Rachel look-a-like was  
unbelievable. He'd heard about her, of course. She was a legend  
within I-1. But he'd never seen her in action. Listening to her  
talk was mesmerizing; her each and every word carefully designed to  
manipulate and elicit reaction. She was subtly goading each and  
every person present, but especially Race and Will. Jonny had never  
stood a chance, he reflected.

Andrea grimaced. "Next time I'll just kill Jonny outright. I'll  
eliminate all the kids. Especially your spawn, Agent Harkness." She  
shook her head, tsking. "Whatever was Benton thinking, getting YOU  
pregnant." She thought for a moment. "So the brat really is his,  
after all. Jonny did say Benton wasn't at all sure, and insisted on  
a blood test. Smart of him, really."

"Steady," Terry muttered, a hand on Will's arm. He could feel her  
shaking in rage, and biting back her words.

"Mr. Corvin, you might shut your mouth," Andrea suggested. "You'll  
be trapping more flys than you actually meant too."

Corvins jaw, which had been on his chest while watching the exchange,  
shut with an audible snap. The other agents, guns still steadily  
trained directly at her, were listening with amazement.

"Hummmm," Andrea commented, "Those are quite nice," she said as she  
stared pointedly at Will's chest, "Are those yours, Agent Harkness?  
Or are they Agency provided. Intelligence-1 does make sure they  
produce nothing but the best, don't they? Does Benton like them? I  
imagine he does. I understand that you service him well. Have you  
also been enlisted as teacher for the next generation?"

"Why you vicious bitch," Will finally ground out softly, but with  
absolute clarity.

Andrea's laughter tinkled musically on the warm breeze. "My aren't  
we defensive! I did suggest the truth to that young whelp. I did  
tell him that I-1 planted you in Benton's bed." She shrugged  
elegantly. "No other reason could possibly be true, of course. Why  
else would a man of such caliber and taste be interested in a  
Bondgirl like you. No refinement what so ever. So it follows, you  
just appeal to his baser instincts."

Will had had more than enough. "Just because you had to resort to  
turning yourself into Rachel, and stealing her face, since you  
couldn't get him any other way, is no reason to be so jealous," she  
commented, temper carefully in check. "He obviously never did want  
to be anywhere near a wingnut like you. He still doesn't, even with  
all the surgery you've had. I mean, why would he? The copy hasn't  
anywhere near the class of the original."

Andrea's face darkened in anger, and she showed temper for the first  
time. "Why, you whore!"

Race reflected that now they knew exactly where Jonny had come up  
with that term, that fateful day a bit over a week ago.

"You . . . you . . " Andrea tapered off angrily.

"Bitch? Bondgirl? Trollop?" Will suggested. "Please, can't you do  
any better than that?"

Terry and Race laughed out loud. Corvin even grinned. Andrea could  
hear the snickers from the other agents. She turned white with fury  
and took a step forward towards Will. "Why you . . ." she said  
again, as she fought for control

It was amazing, Race thought, that this woman could so resemble the  
Rachel of the portrait in Benton's home, but twist those lovely  
features into such cruel expressions, tainted by the person within.  
He reflected that he was very glad that Benton and Jonny weren't  
witnessing this scene.

"Bring it on, bitch," Will growled softly, gladly stepping forward  
into the confrontation.

The other agents stirred uneasily, and Corvin broke from his  
astonished trance in time to break the impending catfight. "Cuff  
her!"

Mike began to cuff Dr. Lainer at the same time Race and Terry stepped  
forward to grab Will's wrists. Will turned to look at Race and Terry  
in utter astonishment as Phil rolled his eyes. "Oh for . . . Dr.  
Lainer, you idiots! NOT Harkness!"

Race and Terry stepped back sheepishly. Will rounded on them  
shouting, "Now what was THAT little comedy of errors all about!"  
accompanied by Andrea's peal of laughter.

Terry lifted his hands in defense. "Hey. Phil told us to keep you  
from killing anybody. And you know what your like when you drink  
coffee. Murder's a real possibility."

Race agreed. "Plus all the sugar. Dr. Quest would not be happy to  
have his beloved wife up on manslaughter charges!"

Andrea glowered at the phrase `beloved wife' and spat out a  
final `whore' to Will as the cuffs were sucured on her wrists.

Will just growled at them and turned to watch the proceedings. "Make  
sure you keep her this time, guys, ok? Humm?"

A couple of the agents just grinned and one commented, "sure thing,  
Harkness". Andrea glared silently at her nemesis.

"Hey, Phil," Terry called to the senior agent.

"Yeah!" was the quick reply.

"I want the assignment of escorting her in."

Phil looked at him in surprise. "Ok. I don't see why not." Race  
and Will both looked quizzically at Terry.

He shrugged in embarrassment. "Just something I thought I could do  
for Jonny. I mean, reassure him that she won't be on the loose  
again."

Will smiled and stepped over to hug him. "Thank you," she  
whispered. "It will help him a lot," she continued  
gratefully. "He's been so frightened."

Terry looked seriously at her. "Tell Jonny, from me, that she won't  
bother him again. I guarantee it. Ok?"

Will smiled and nodded. She couldn't say anything because she  
thought she would probably burst into tears if she tried.

Corvin smiled knowingly at her. "Go home, both of you. You look  
like Hell. We'll wrap it up here. Give Dr. Quest and Jonny my  
best. Tell Dr. Quest I'll be calling him soon with the final  
briefing."

"Thanks, Phil," Race commented as he watched Terry take charge of Dr.  
Andrea Veronica Rose Lainer, and march her away.

Will nodded, and the two turned as one towards the car they had left  
in the parking lot, eager to get back home.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Race and Will dragged themselves wearily up to the house. Race  
stretched his back out tiredly as Will let them in. Mrs. Evans  
walked out to the hallway and smiled broadly. "Welcome home!" she  
said in relief.

"Glad to be back," Race commented dryly.

Mrs. Evans turned serious. "Did you accomplish your errand?" she  
asked carefully.

"Yes. We did." Will answered quietly.

"Sealed and delivered to I-1, in Terry's custody. He was MORE than  
happy to handle it for us," Race concluded.

"And she is in one piece, unfortunately," Will interjected.

"Maybe a little worse for wear though," Race finished. "How's Jonny?"

Mrs. Evans sighed. "About the same. He's slept off and on most of  
the day, and Dr. Quest was finally able to get him to eat  
something. He's achy, but doesn't seem to be running a fever. He's  
just restless, and very worried about the two of you," she concluded.

"And Benton and Rae?" Will asked.

Mrs. Evans smiled more easily this time. "Rae is up with Dr. Quest  
and Jonny right now. She's been an angel, and has been providing a  
much needed and pleasant diversion for her father and brother."

Race raised his eyebrows. "This I gotta see."

"Dr. Quest hasn't left Jonny all day. And the boy has certainly  
needed his father. They will both be much better when they see you  
two!" She herded them towards the stairs. "Scoot. I'll have some  
dinner for you in a few minutes."

At their expressions of gratitude, Ms. Evans just laughed. "Jessie  
and Hadji are in the lighthouse," she continued. "Trying very hard  
to keep from underfoot since they are banned from Jonny's room. I'll  
let them know you're back." She paused and then continued  
softly, "I'm glad you both are back safely. You've been sorely  
missed. And I'm very glad your errand was successful."

They both smiled in response, then Will turned towards the stairs,  
with Race right behind her. After tapping lightly on Jonny's door,  
they entered to a yip of greeting from Bandit, lying at the end of  
Jonny's bed.

Jonny, propped up on pillows, was supporting Rae with one hand, and  
feeding her with the other. Benton looked tired, but relaxed as he  
sat in a chair next to the bed, arm draped over the back, smiling at  
his son.

"A little slower, Jonny. Don't let her eat quite so fast."

"Yeah, rug rat," Jonny commented. "Slow down! You're greedy." He  
laughed, a welcome, but highly unusual sound of late, at his baby  
sister, who was clutching at the bottle with her blue eyes wide on  
her brother's face. She seemed to suck even harder on the bottle in  
response to his voice, which caused them both to laugh.

"Stubborn, just like you, Jonny!" Benton added.

"Well, well," Race commented quietly, pleasantly pleased and  
surprised by the scene.

"Welcome home!" Benton sprung to his feet and was hugging Will close  
before she knew it, and kissing her hungrily.

"Hey! Not in MY room!" Jonny exclaimed with a tired grin.

"Don't pay any attention to us," Will commented distractedly to her  
youngest stepchild, "just keep on doing what your doing." She sighed  
as she drew Benton's head down to hers for another heated kiss.

"HEY! NOT in MY room and NOT in front of the BABY!" Jonny protested  
a second time, sounding more like himself than he had in well over a  
month.

Race grinned, `this was more like it,' he thought.

Benton hugged her tightly again, a promise of later things to come,  
and turned to say a welcome to Race. Will headed over to the bed and  
sat down next to Jonny and Rae.

Jonny made as if to hand her to Will, as Rae protested the  
interruption of her meal.

"No, no. You started, you finish," Will said smiling, marveling once  
again at the perfection of her daughter. Rae's long fingers curled  
around Will's index finger possessively. Will caressed the delicate  
curve of one rose petal soft cheek with her other hand.

Will noticed Jonny gazing at her uncertainly. She smiled  
reassuringly at him and added in a low voice under the din of the  
noisy reunion with Hadji and Jessie, who, ignoring instructions to  
the contrary, had just burst into the room, and Bandit's barking, "We  
got her, Sweetheart. She won't trouble you again. Terry is taking  
her in. He made me promise to tell you, from him, that she won't  
bother you again." Will swept Jonny's bangs back off his pale face  
in a soft caress, surreptitiously checking for a temperature.

As Jonny smiled tentatively, still carefully holding Rae, Will  
added, "And now, I'm just very glad to be home with my family, all my  
family." And Will leaned forward to hug both a surprised and pleased  
Jonny and Rae together, to Rae's squeak of protest. When she  
released them she dropped a quick kiss on Jonny's forehead, and then  
on Rae's, truly thankful.

Epilogue

Jonny sat out on the steps of the back patio leading down to the  
second level. It was about two weeks after the final capture of Dr.  
Lainer. He was enjoying just sitting and listening to the soft  
hubbub of voices, the noise of dinner being prepared, and the phone  
ringing behind him. The normal sounds of the busy family.

The early evening air had a salt tang to it from the breezes that  
blew in off the ocean nearly one hundred feet below. Jonny could  
hear the waves pounding rhythmically. He took a deep breath,  
reveling in the feeling of the cool, sweet air in his lungs, with no  
pain or tightness. Amazing how the single act of breathing was so  
overlooked, Jonny thought, taking another deep breath. He enjoyed  
the simple sensation of breathing without pain. He still tired very  
easily, and was getting irritated at the constant encouragement to  
eat, but that was okay. Just as long as he could breathe.

Will came out onto the patio and sat down beside him,  
laughing. "That was your father on the phone just now," she  
reported. "And that makes the 6th phone call since he left this  
morning. He was checking, once again, to make sure you hadn't  
expired."

Jonny grinned, although he probably should have been irritated. But  
it was really kind of nice. However, his comment in response was  
more in character. Shaking his head, he replied, "Doesn't he have  
anything better to do at that conference?"

Will put her arm around his shoulders, laughing as she gave him a  
hug. "Humor him Sweetheart. He very nearly lost you, and it scared  
him to death. We were all very worried. And you have no idea how  
much talking Race and I had to do to just get him to go today! He  
would only go if both Race and I stayed here with you, and he  
insisted on coming back tonight. Never mind that it would be at  
least midnight before he would be able to leave New York. Charlie is  
flying him back. There was no way we could talk him into staying the  
night." She shook her head in amusement.

"Poor Charlie," Jonny commented.

"Poor Charlie, indeed." Will agreed. "We also had to promise that we  
would faithfully have you back in bed after dinner, and that we would  
get you to eat something."

She hugged him again and laughed as he wrinkled his nose in  
irritation. She reflected that it was a good thing that he didn't  
know that neither she nor Race could bear to have him out of their  
sight for long either. Benton knew, and that was the only reason  
they had been able to convince him to go. She suppressed a shudder.  
It was going to be a very long time before any of them wanted to let  
Jonny out of their sight for any length of time. It had been way too  
close, and right under their very noses in a place they considered  
safe.

Jonny rested his head on her shoulder companionably. Together they  
watched the sky move softly towards twilight in silence for a while.

Will broke the quiet mood tentatively. "Sweetheart?" she asked  
gently.

"Humm?" Jonny responded, relaxed.

"Why didn't you tell your father when you first thought you saw  
Rachel?" she asked carefully. Jonny had been working through these  
issues with a psychiatrist, and in a separate session, Benton, Will  
and Race had been told that they should begin drawing him out on the  
subject.

Jonny tensed slightly, but Will just rubbed his shoulder  
reassuringly, holding him close. After a moment, he began to  
speak. "I tried," he said, his voice shaking slightly. The hurt and  
betrayal were clearly evident in his voice. "The day I was late  
coming up from the lighthouse. And the next night when you and Dad  
were in the library."

Will was glad that Jonny wasn't looking at her, and didn't see her  
flushing face.

"Then I guess I just thought it was stupid. I didn't know what to  
do, but Dad was usually busy, or distracted. It just seemed like  
something always came up." Jonny paused. Will could tell how hard  
it was for him, and that he was trying to be scrupulously honest.  
She squeezed his shoulder again, holding him closer and waited for  
him to continue.

"It's been like that ever since Rae was born. The only time Dad ever  
really had for me was on my homework. And even then, he never had  
time to hear about the results. And he was always so short  
tempered," he continued.

"Lack of sleep because of a new baby. It'll do it every time," Will  
explained.

"And missing you!" Jonny said, laughter in his voice. "You had to  
sleep downstairs!"

"Scamp," Will growled as she lifted her arm to encircle his neck in a  
loose chokehold. "Any other reason?" she asked lightly.

"Well," Jonny said thoughtfully, then continued carefully as he  
settled back onto her shoulder. Will was glad he trusted her enough  
to keep the physical contact while he explained. "Dad had you and  
Rae. And he never seemed to have time for me. I guess I really  
hoped she'd be Mom, so I could feel like I belonged somewhere  
again." His voice had dropped to a low whisper.

"Oh, Sweetheart," Will whispered compassionately, kissing his  
temple. "Remember what I said to you in New Orleans? Trust your  
father. He'll never give up you or the memory of his ties with  
Rachel. Rae, and myself, and Hadji too for that matter; we're just  
newer additions. Nobody ever takes another's place." She paused a  
moment, then continued. "Your mother was a remarkable woman.  
Beautiful and talented. And I can't, and have no desire to take her  
place. I'll just make my own." She could feel Jonny silently crying  
on her shoulder. She moved her other arm in front of him so he was  
now fully encircled in her embrace.

"Will?" Jonny asked shakily.

"Yes?" She answered, kindly.

"Why did you try to save me that day on the cliff? The time you  
dropped your gun down, and told . . . Dr. Lainer to take you instead  
of me?" His voice was shaking and nearly inaudible, and Will could  
tell what it was costing him to ask this question. He was so afraid  
of the answer, dreading that it would be for his father's sake  
alone. Jonny continued. "I'd been so awful to you. Really rotten.  
I mean, the things I'd said to you. I didn't mean them. . . I really  
didn't," he said in a rush. "But like Mo . . . I mean, Dr. Lainer  
said, wouldn't you rather just have me gone?"

Will kissed the trembling boy lightly once again, then answered  
softly. "No, I wouldn't rather have you gone. I am not Andrea  
Lainer, nor am I anything like her. I would have traded myself for  
you in a moments notice, because you're you. I couldn't bear the  
thought of life without you. You're an integral part of this family,  
a part of the whole. I love you Sweetheart."

Jonny was sobbing in earnest now. "But how can you? After  
everything I've done?"

Will hugged him tighter. "Because you are you. And you are your  
father's son. I really don't need any other reasons than that. If  
you were gone, there would be a huge hole in all of our lives,  
impossible to fill."

Jonny looked at her is astonishment, his azure blue eyes even  
brighter than normal with tears.

"Serious?"

"Serious," she answered firmly. "And if you think about how much I  
have to put up with Benton, you'll realize you're not so bad!"

Jonny laughed at that, as she had intended. Then, as Rae's cry split  
the evening air, Jonny started to pull away so she could go take care  
of her.

Will however, just pulled Jonny closer. "She does have the Quest  
lung power," she commented wryly. Then as Jonny didn't relax, she  
whispered softly to him, "We have a big family, Sweetheart. Race or  
Mrs. Evans can take care of Rae. Or for that matter, Jessie or  
Hadji. Right now, I just need to be here with you."

As Jonny collapsed wordlessly back against her shoulder, sure enough,  
Rae stopped crying. Will continued quietly, reassuring her  
stepson. "All the children I ever needed or wanted were you, Hadji  
and Jessie. Rae was just an unexpected bonus. Remember, love can't  
divide . . . it multiplies.

She felt Jonny finally relax completely. As they watched the waves,  
she held him tight, not wanting to let go. Like Benton, after coming  
so close to losing him, she valued the time with him; with all the  
kids. She knew Race felt the same way.

Gently, she began humming, and felt his smile against her shoulder.  
And together, they just watched the sea and the early evening sky in  
peaceful companionship.

~fini~


End file.
